OSU Baseball: Cowboys Rally to Take Game 2, Clinch Series against Arizona State

BOXSCORE

The Cowboys fell behind early, rallied with an offensive explosion, and then let the Sun Devils back in it late, for the second night in a row. But, for the second night in a row, they came out on top.

Oklahoma State defeated Arizona State 9-6 to earn its fourth Big 12 series win. The Cowboys have won eight of their last nine outings and have put themselves in serious consideration once regional assignments get handed out.

The Cowboys weathered an early 4-1 deficit before they exploded for seven runs over the fifth and six innings to take control.

Nolan Schubart moved into second place in the Big 12 in home runs, going 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Kollin Ritchie also had three RBIs going 3-for-5 for with his 10th home run on the season. Brayden Smith went 4-for-4, also adding his 10th home run on the year.

The Cowboys were down 4-1 when Richie stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth. His two-RBI double was followed by Ian Daugherty two-RBI double to flip the game and give OSU the 5-4 lead.

Rally caps worked ✅ pic.twitter.com/MUbZn5SXSy

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) May 17, 2025

Then, in the sixth, Nolan Schubart did Nolan Schubart things.

Update: The firework display just went off pic.twitter.com/VRn2z4LPSc

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) May 17, 2025

That three-run homer, Schubart’s team-high 17th on the year, pushed OSU’s lead to 8-4. Not to be out-RBIed, Ritchie added a solo moonshot in the seventh to make it 9-4.

Screw it. No-doubt Kollin.@kollin_ritchie pic.twitter.com/CemCH0I1pk

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) May 17, 2025

Mario Pesca got the start from the mound and improved to 6-2. He pitched five innings, allowing seven hits and four runs. He walked two and struck out three. Drew Blake pitched two good innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two Sun Devils.

Then Matt Brown came in to finish the eighth and retired three-straight Devils. But after ASU led off the ninth with a pair of singles, Rob Walton stepped out of the dugout to bring in Brennan Phillips. Phillips gave up another single to load the bases with no outs, up five, in the top of the ninth.

The Sun Devils had nearly completed a late comeback in Game 1 on Thursday when they loaded the bases with the game-tying run at the plate before their efforts ended in a fly-out. They looked ready to threaten again on Friday with back-to-back sac flies to start the ninth to pull within 9-6 with two outs. Then Phillips struck out ASU’s Josiah Cromwick to seal the win and the series.

With the win, OSU improves to 26-22 and 14-12 in Big 12 play. The Cowboys and Sun Devils have a quick turnaround. The series (and regular season) finale starts at noon on Saturday in O’Brate Stadium.