STILLWATER – Oklahoma State had a drastically different performance on Sunday than in previous games as the Florida Gators, in a win or go home game, beat the Pokes 5-2 to force the if-necessary game on Monday at 2 p.m. CT.
With the loss, the Cowboys moved to 42-18.
“Florida did a nice job managing out of the bullpen and pitched five-plus really good innings,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said of the loss to Florida. “Made a couple of nice defensive plays in some critical moments. They did a nice job. We’ll adjust quickly and bounce back tomorrow.”
As mentioned, Sunday’s performance was drastically different for the Pokes than the games on Friday and Saturday. In those two games, they combined for 26 runs on 26 hits. On Sunday, they scored two runs on just six hits. One of the biggets sticking points for the Pokes was the 11 runners standed on base.
“It’s hard to do that in any game,” Holliday said of few timely hits and leaving runners on base. “If you get guys on base, you’ve got to finish the job. We hit a few balls hard, the centerfielder made a super important catch on a bases-loaded liner to center off of Nolan [Schubart’s] bat, that was a game-changing catch. So, nice job by him and no doubt, we had some opportunities there and couldn’t quite close out some scoring opportunities.”
Carson Benge got the start for the Pokes and had a strong start to the game before the wheels fell off in the top of the sixth inning, staying in the game just one inning too long. He finished the game giving up five earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
Gabe Davis came into the game in the top of the sixth inning and went the rest of the way giving up just two hits with eight strikeouts and just one walk.
Surprise-surprise, Nolan Schubart with the first hit of the game. Just like Saturday night, Zach Ehrhard hit a two-run home run, but a young fan in right field pulled the ball over the wall and the call was reversed, just like Saturday night. So, Schubart to third and Ehrhard to second. But a second review came right after the first challenge to see if Schubart should have scored on the call. The replay officials ultimately decided since Schubart was on second when the ball was hit, his run should stand, making it a 1-0 game with two outs.
Kollin Ritchie was walked with the next at-bat, but the Pokes’ threat ended with a called third strike on catcher Ian Daugherty.
Other than the home run, and then the subsequent overturning of the call, this game wasn’t much like the first two games for the Pokes. They had recorded four hits through the first three innings but had put just one run across thanks to really solid pitching from Fisher.
A deep fly ball in the top of the fourth advanced Florida’s Wilson over to third on a tag up. He then scored on the very next play on a wild pitch by Benge, making it a 1-1 ball game. Shelnut hit a single to deep third before Thomas hit a deep fly ball for an out to end the inning.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Colin Brueggemann broke the Gator’s shift by hitting a little bloop single into left field and turned it into a double with how deeply the left fielder was playing.
A hard-hit single from Tyler Wulfert just past the outstretched arm of the second baseman scored Brueggemann from second and advanced Avery Ortiz to third. The play was ruled a fielding error on Kurland. It also forced the Gator coaching staff to make the first pitching change of the game. And a walk to Lane Forsythe to load the bases brought out yet another new pitcher for the Gators with just one out.
Schubart had a chance to blow the game wide-open as he sent a full-count shot out into the right-center. But a rather athletic play by Robertson in center field ended the ended with a diving catch.
Florida shortstop Shelton blasted a three-run homer out to right after a walk and a bloop single out to center to put the Gators up 4-2 in the top of the sixth. That was followed by a sharply hit single up the middle by Heyman with no outs. They scored another run on a wild pitch with two outs to go up three, 5-2, with still another runner in scoring position at third.
It was slow going the rest of the game for the Pokes as they recorded just one hit through the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
