It took Oklahoma State two at-bats to get on the scoreboard, dooming Niagara’s first NCAA tournament game.
The No. 11 Cowboys scored 11 runs on 10 hits in the first three innings to top the Purple Eagles, 19-7, in the NCAA Regional opener Friday in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Niagara will play Nebraska — which lost to Florida, 5-2 — at 2 p.m. Saturday in an elimination game, while Oklahoma State faces Florida at 7 p.m.
Niagara finished with 12 hits (to Oklahoma State’s 15), but it was struggles on the mound and in the field that proved costly. The Purple Eagles used eight pitchers, none of whom lasted more than two innings, and walked 10 batters compared to six strikeouts, while committing three errors.
Starting pitcher Preston Prince walked Lane Forsythe to start the game and then he advanced to second on a wild pitch, setting up Carson Benge for an RBI double. Zach Ehrhard doubled two batters later and a fielding error plated him. Nolan Schubart hit just the second home run off Prince this season as part of a four-run second, while also driving in a run on an RBI single in another four-run inning in the third.
Niagara attempted to rally, getting four runs with two outs in the fourth, as Rees Kozar hit a two-run single and Nick Groves drove in two more with a double to center field. Although Corl Kelly drove in a run to cut the lead to 11-6 in the fifth, the Purple Eagles left runners on second and third in consecutive innings.
Oklahoma State capitalized when Colin Brueggemann hit a three-run double on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the fifth. It came after Noah Richardson retired the first two batters of the inning and then walked three batters in a row.
Groves went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, while Corl, Vincent Mauro and Gavin Schrader had two hits apiece. Eric Rataczak had an RBI single that bounced off the top of the outfield wall.
Prince allowed six earned runs on six hits and three walks over two innings.
Schubart went 3 for 5 with three RBIs, while Ehrhard went 3 for 3 with four RBIs on two doubles and a home run as Oklahoma State recorded nine extra-base hits. Starter Sam Garcia allowed five earned runs on six hits and struck out five over 3 2/3 innings, as the Cowboys used three pitchers to register 10 strikeouts.
It took Oklahoma State two at-bats to get on the scoreboard, dooming Niagara’s first NCAA tournament game.
The No. 11 Cowboys scored 11 runs on 10 hits in the first three innings to top the Purple Eagles, 19-7, in the NCAA Regional opener Friday in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Niagara will play Nebraska — which lost to Florida, 5-2 — at 2 p.m. Saturday in an elimination game, while Oklahoma State faces Florida at 7 p.m.
Niagara finished with 12 hits (to Oklahoma State’s 15), but it was struggles on the mound and in the field that proved costly. The Purple Eagles used eight pitchers, none of whom lasted more than two innings, and walked 10 batters compared to six strikeouts, while committing three errors.
Starting pitcher Preston Prince walked Lane Forsythe to start the game and then he advanced to second on a wild pitch, setting up Carson Benge for an RBI double. Zach Ehrhard doubled two batters later and a fielding error plated him. Nolan Schubart hit just the second home run off Prince this season as part of a four-run second, while also driving in a run on an RBI single in another four-run inning in the third.
Niagara attempted to rally, getting four runs with two outs in the fourth, as Rees Kozar hit a two-run single and Nick Groves drove in two more with a double to center field. Although Corl Kelly drove in a run to cut the lead to 11-6 in the fifth, the Purple Eagles left runners on second and third in consecutive innings.
Oklahoma State capitalized when Colin Brueggemann hit a three-run double on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the fifth. It came after Noah Richardson retired the first two batters of the inning and then walked three batters in a row.
Groves went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, while Corl, Vincent Mauro and Gavin Schrader had two hits apiece. Eric Rataczak had an RBI single that bounced off the top of the outfield wall.
Prince allowed six earned runs on six hits and three walks over two innings.
Schubart went 3 for 5 with three RBIs, while Ehrhard went 3 for 3 with four RBIs on two doubles and a home run as Oklahoma State recorded nine extra-base hits. Starter Sam Garcia allowed five earned runs on six hits and struck out five over 3 2/3 innings, as the Cowboys used three pitchers to register 10 strikeouts.