Brueggemann Grand Slams Sooners on Way to Pokes Series Opening Win
NORMAN, Okla. – The big blow for Oklahoma State in game one of the Bedlam series to close out the regular season came in the top of the third inning with bases loaded and no outs as Colin Brueggemann slammed a home run to right field and that put the Cowboys up 7-0. It was more than the Cowboys would actually need and they would add more along the way on the way to a 13-2 win. Oklahoma State moves to 36-15 and 14-8 in the Big 12. Coupled with the Texas win (12-to--2) in game one of the series with West Virginia in Austin, the Cowboys within one game of the first-place Mountaineers (39-14/15-7). It keeps OSU alive with a chance to win the Big 12 regular season. Oklahoma trying to push for an opportunity in the NCAA Tournament drops to 29-23 and 10-12 in the Big 12.
The Cowboys pulled a surprise in their pitching decision as they started Nolan McLean for the first time in his career. With the big lead they got McLean out after three innings as he allowed just one run, it was earned. McLean gave up four hits, walked four, and struck out five.
Oklahoma put one run, the lone run that McLean gave up in the bottom of the third inning. The Cowboys were outhit by Oklahoma 12-to-10 hits, but OSU had the much bigger blows with Tyler Wulfert hitting a two-tun home run in the top of the fourth as Chase Adkison, who had an RBI single to get on scored in front of Wulfert on that blast.
Later in the game in the sixth, Brueggemann hit his second home run of the night, a solo blow to left field.
“A couple of things stuck out for me, first Colin (Brueggemann) continues to show me that ha has a chance to be something really special the way he comes through in the clutch and continues to put hits together in a game,” head coach Josh Holliday said after the game. “He is unique. Brueggemann is really unique. Roc (Riggio) delivered early in the game, Nolan (McLean) gutted it through three, and then Evan (O’Toole) did a heckuva job and I think the play that Marcus (Brown) made to end that inning when it was still a game was important. We had a lot of juice in the game.”
Brueggemann finished two-for-four with five RBI paced by that grand slam.. Riggio was two-for-five with two RBI, Tyler Wulfert was two-for-four with two RBI and he scored three runs, and Carson Benge was two-for-three at the plate. O’Toole got the win to go 6-1 as he pitched five innings and shut the Sooners out with just five hits and a walk while striking out four.
Right-hander OU starter Braxton Douthit (4-5) took the loss for Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will go again with game two at L.Dale Mitchell Park in Norman at 6:30 p.m. on Friday (May 19) provided Mother Nature cooperates. Rain is foroecase much of the day on Friday.