Oklahoma State Clinches Series Over Baylor With 4-0 Win on Saturday

WACO, Texas – A dominant pitching performance by Mario Pesca carried Oklahoma State to its sixth-straight win Saturday at Baylor Ballpark as the Cowboys knocked off Baylor, 4-0.

In extending its longest win streak of the season, OSU improved to 24-21 overall and 12-11 in Big 12 play, while BU fell to 30-20 and 10-16 in the league.

Pesca tossed eight shutout innings in improving to 5-2, marking his career-long outing. He allowed just four hits, all singles, while walking four and posting five strikeouts in the 116-pitch effort.

The right-hander got stronger as the game went on as he did not allow a hit over his final 4 2/3 innings following a one-out single in the third. He was also aided by an OSU infield that turned three double plays, tying for its most this season. 

Pesca got all the run support he needed from a pair of home runs as Nolan Schubart and Kollin Ritchie both went deep for the Pokes.

The Cowboys jumped out to an early lead in the first inning thanks to Schubart’s team-leading 14th home run of the season, a two-run shot over the wall in right field. The homer was the 54th of Schubart’s career, moving him into a tie for sixth place on OSU’s all-time list with Jimmy Barragan.

Pesca induced double play groundouts in the fifth and sixth innings, retired the side in order in the seventh and then got a strikeout to end the eighth and strand a runner on second base.

OSU added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth, getting a solo homer from Ritchie and plating a run when Ian Daugherty, who singled and stole second, scored on a throwing error.

Ryan Ure came out of the bullpen to open the ninth and retired all three batters he faced, two via strikeout, to secure the shutout. It marked OSU’s fifth shutout of the season, with three of those coming in Big 12 play. 

The Cowboys will go for a second-straight series sweep Sunday at 1 p.m.