Shull Gets First as Oklahoma State Takes Down No. 1 Texas A&M in Astros Foundation Classic

(Oklahoma State University Athletic Media Relations contributed to this story from Houston, Texas.)

HOUSTON, Texas – Sitting at 4- after the tough 5-2 loss in their opener in the Astros Foundation Classic to an unbeaten Tennessee team now the No. 16 Cowboys were facing No. 1-ranked Texas A&M and ace pitcher Justin Lamkin. The Cowboys countered with big lefthander Harrison Bodendorf. It was Bodendorf and the following Cowboys pitchers that dominated the Aggies hitters. Bodendorf with five innings pitched and seven strikeouts led the brigade that included Drew Blake, and Sean Youngerman that gave up only four hits in shutting out the Aggies 4-0. It was a welcomed win and pushed the Cowboys to 5-4 on the season. Texas A&M is also now 5-4 on the season.   

Oklahoma State started the scoring in the top of the third inning with Enid freshman Garrett Shull ripped a two strike offering from Lamkin and hit the ball off the h on the fair pole where it says “Chickin iz Fair”. It was hit a ton and Shull had a first collegiate home run that he will never forget. With the shutout by the Oklahoma State pitchers, Shull’s home run was the winning run and RBI.

“Garret got it going for us. That was an impressive swing last inning,” Oklahoma State head coach Josh Holliday said on the broadcast on the Space City Sports Channel. “Then in the top of this inning (4th) we had some swings and got one to the wall.” 

There was some insurance coming for the Cowboys in the fourth inning just as Holliday said. “Leadoff hitter Donovan LaSalle was hit by a Lamkin pitch. Nolan Schubart hit it to second and the A&M second baseman Sawyer Farr was eaten up by the ground ball and could only get LaSalle on the force at second. The next hitter Jayson Jones hit the ball a ton and found the gap in deep right-center as the ball rolled to the wall.

Schubart scored easily from first and Jones was at third with a triple. Oklahoma State led 2-0. The Cowboys first baseman Collin Brueggemann hit a sharp ground ball that went right through the legs of Aggies third baseman Wyatt Henseler. Jones scored on what was one of four errors by the Aggies and it was 3-0.

One more run by the Cowboys in the fifth as Drew Culbertson laid down a bunt and made it first on a throwing error by Lamkin. LaSalle hit a chopper to third and Culbertson tried to advance to third and the first baseman threw over and thre it away allowing Culbertson to score and make it 4-0.

Oklahoma State doubled the Aggies hits, 8-to-4. The big blows were Shull’s home run and he was two for four in the game. The only other multi-hit Cowboys was Culbertson with two singles, one on a bunt that he beat out.

Bodendorf is now 3-0 on the season and he signicantly lowered his ERA with the five shut-out innings. 

“Harrison has provided us tremendous experience,” Holliday said of his 6-5 lefty. “He came to us from Hawaii and he has a lot of innings under his belt. The impact of him is he can come in and help offset the loss of three starters (from last season) for us.”

Oklahoma State will be back at Daikin Park tomorrow (Sunday) for a 2 p.m. game with Mississippi State. The Aggies will play Rice in the nightcap at 7 p.m.