HOUSTON, Texas – Oklahoma State dropped a 5-2 contest to Tennessee Friday at Daikin Park in the Cowboys' opening game at the Astros Foundation College Classic. With the loss, the 16th-ranked Cowboys dropped to 4-4, while the Volunteers, who are ranked as high as No. 1 nationally, improved to 9-0.
Colin Brueggemann led the Cowboys offensively, going 3-for-4 and finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Donovan LaSalle added an RBI double for the Pokes. Gabe Davis took the loss on the mound as the right-hander worked three innings, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out six. Stormy Rhodes closed out the final five innings for the Cowboys and struck out a career-high five while giving up two runs.
Tennessee entered the game leading the nation with 21 home runs and used four solo homers to secure the win over the Cowboys.
UT took an early lead when Gavin Kilen delivered a solo home run into the seats in right field in the first inning. The blast was Kilen's fourth homer of the year.
The Volunteers doubled their lead in the third on another solo shot off the bat of Kilen, this one going to left field and making the score 2-0.
In the fourth, two more round trippers pushed the lead to 4-0. Manny Marin led off the bottom of the inning with a homer that knocked Davis from the game, and two batters later, it was Dean Curley going deep.
Down 5-0 after six, the Cowboys got on the board in the seventh on an opposite-field home run by Brueggemann, his third of the season. LaSalle's ground-rule double in the eighth made the score 5-2.
OSU returns to action Saturday at 7:05 p.m. when they take on another team also ranked No. 1 nationally in Texas A&M.
PokeRob said:
They strike out well over 10 times in every game. This is not new. I am starting to get tired of Josh. One of the best parks in America and only one trip to the College World Series. Not getting done. Love Josh but it has to improve.
