OSU Baseball: Cowboys Drop Series Opener at Kansas 5-2

BOXSCORE

The Cowboys came up short on their first try in Lawrence, but they’ll get two more.

Oklahoma State fell to Kansas 5-2 on Friday. The Cowboys are now 1-4 in Big 12 play.

The Jayhawks built an early lead but went cold. Unfortunately, the Cowboys never warmed up. OSU went just 4-for-29 from the plate without a single Cowboy logging multiple hits.

Cowboy pitcher Harrison Bodendorf came in 5-0 on the year, but the Jayhawks got on him early.

Kansas went up 2-0 in the first inning off a Brady Ballinger two-run home run, his eighth of the season. Bodendorf did slow down the bleeding after that, holding the Jayhawks scoreless until the sixth when he was subbed out after KU’s Dariel Osoria hit a single to start the inning. After Bodendorf left the mound for Mario Pesca, Osoria scored on a groundout for Bodendorf’s third allowed run. Bodendorf fell to 5-1 on the year, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out five.

The Cowboys did finally get on the board thanks to a Brayden Smith (1-for-4) solo home run in the seventh to make it 3-1, his sixth dinger of the year. But the Jayhawks answered in the eighth with a pair of runs, including a homer by Michael Brooks.

5⃣th HR during @BraydenSmith47‘s 🔟-game hitting streak#GoPokes pic.twitter.com/s8xW3wpWcy

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) March 29, 2025

Pesca lasted two innings, allowing three hits and two runs before Kyle Bade spelled him to end the eighth. Bade logged two Ks.

On a bright note, Tuttle native Alex Conover (1-for-4) hit his first home run as a Cowboy in the top of the ninth to make it 5-2, but it was too little too late.

Oppo 🌮 for @AlexConover36 #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/5MH5Q9sW1U

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) March 29, 2025

KU starter Dominic Voegele lasted all the way to Conover’s home run before he was subbed out. Eric Lin came in for the save. After giving up a single and a walk, Lin struck out Smith and then the Jayhawks ended it on a double play.

OSU was tabbed to as the preseason favorite in the Big 12, but they’ve gotten off to a slow start. With the loss, the Cowboys fall to 12-11 on the year and 1-4 in conference. They’ll get two more shots at their second Big 12 win in Lawrence starting at 2 p.m. Saturday. The series finale takes place at 1 p.m. Sunday.