OSU Baseball: Cowboys Defeat No. 2 Arkansas 2-1 in 14 Innings

The Cowboys beat the second-best team in the country, and it took only five extra innings.

Oklahoma State defeated No. 2 Arkansas 2-1 with a walk-off game-winning squeeze bunt in the 14th inning of its matchup at the Kubota College Baseball Series. It moved the Cowboys to 3-0 in Arlington this week and 4-2 on the season.

Aidan Meola hit a double to right field that brought in the tying run in the bottom of the ninth to extend the game, and then Lane Forsythe’s squeeze bunt with an 0-2 count in the 14th gave the Cowboys the win. Donovan LaSalle (2-for-4) was the only Cowboy with multiple hits, and he represented the winning run on that squeeze play.

It was a defensive slugfest if there is such a thing. Each team threw 208 pitches, with the Cowboys throwing 138 strikes to the Razorbacks’ 132.

Brian Holiday got the start for the Cowboys and pitched six innings, allowing just the one run and striking out six. Aaron Weber pitched one inning, and then was spelled by Gabe Davis, who was on the mound for five and two-third innings, striking out five. Tommy Molsky earned his first win as a Cowboy, pitching the final two, striking out three and walking one Razorback.

Arkansas was the first to get on the board with a single RBI by Diggs in the fifth inning. It looked like the score was destined to stick at 1-0 all the way to the end of regulation. But Meola’s double to right-center sent Avery Ortiz across the plate to tie it up for the Cowboys and send this one into free baseball mode.

We’ve got free baseball at Globe Life! We go to the 10th tied 1-1 compliments of this clutch @aidanmeola1 2B#GoPokes pic.twitter.com/28twvAB5Kw

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) February 25, 2024

Extra baseball was intense, and the tension only ratcheted up as the night grew longer. Each team kept the other at check for the next four innings, making some impressive plays down the stretch.

2 huge plays in the 12th – a catch at the wall in LF by @RitchieKollin and an inning-ending K for @gabedavis07 – keep us tied#GoPokes pic.twitter.com/bTb7u2erXS

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) February 25, 2024

In the 14th and final inning, the Hogs threatened to turn the screws on the Pokes, getting two runners on before Molsky struck out Jack Wagner swinging before Wehiwa Aloy grounded out to leave the pair of them stranded. Oklahoma State returned the favor, sending runners to second and third with one out thanks to an error at third base, but the Pokes were able to capitalize.

Worth. The. Wait.#GoPokes pic.twitter.com/37Ku0dpAlU

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) February 25, 2024

Next Up

The Cowboys will get to sleep in (they’ve earned it) before they finish off the weekend against Oregon State at 5 p.m. Sunday inside Globe Life Field.