OSU Baseball: Cowboys Split Games 1 and 2 with Kansas

Thanks to inclement weather, the Cowboys and Jayhawks had to cram most of Games 1 and 2 into Saturday.

The Cowboys were up 6-1 when Friday’s game was suspended due to weather, and they were able to finish that game off in a similar fashion Saturday afternoon. But the Jayhawks flipped the script on them in the evening.

The rubber match is set for Sunday afternoon in O’Brate Stadium, but let’s take a look at how each game played out.

Game 1: OSU 13, Kansas 2

BOXSCORE

The Cowboys racked up five home runs over two calendar days to finish the opener an inning early.

Brock Thompson answered a first-inning solo home run by Kansas’ Cade Baldridge with a two-run homer of his own in the bottom of the opening frame. Then he got some friends to chip in in the second.

Thompson and Garrett Shull each had solo deep balls in the second and Alex Conover had a two-run bomb. That’s when Mother Nature cooled the Cowboys down up 6-1.

When things resumed on Saturday, the Jayhawks kicked things off with a solo home run by Jordan Bach in the top of the third.

OSU added a run each in the sixth and seventh to extend the lead to 8-2 and then they were able to get out of it early with a walk-off eighth.

Aidan Meola drilled a two-RBI double to left center to make it 10-2 and threaten the run rule. And a threat was all Campbell Smithwick needed. He sent a three-run bomb out over right field to end it.

SOUP WALKS IT OFF AGAIN ‼️

Campbell Smithwick’s third walk-off home run this season#GoPokes | @campbellrsoup pic.twitter.com/T5q6OqxxPU

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) April 18, 2026

Ethan Lund got the start in the mound for OSU and pitched three innings, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out seven. Stormy Rhodes got the win with five innings’ work, allowing just two hits, a walk and striking out four. He allowed zero runs.

Game 2: Kansas 13, OSU 3

BOXSCORE

The Jayhawks flipped the script (and the scoreboard) on the Pokes in Game 2. But it wasn’t without some defense from the Pokes.

Just your average 9-6-2-5-4 double play 🤠#GoPokes pic.twitter.com/jeUySwreLc

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) April 18, 2026

After both teams went scoreless through two, the Jayhawks went up 2-0 in the third and then 4-0 in the top of the fourth.

Aidan Meola answered with a three-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-3.

Aidan Meola Bringing some fireworks of his own 🎆#GoPokes | @aidanmeola1 pic.twitter.com/nsCrhapLUK

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) April 18, 2026

Unfortunately for OSU, the Cowboys were shut down by KU starter Dominic Voegele after that. He retired 214 Cowboys with 15 strikeouts.

Meanwhile, the Jayhawks answered with three runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and then three and two each in the final two innings to take a 13-3 decision.

Mario Pesca got the start for OSU, falling to 4-3. He allowed eight hits and seven runs while walking four and striking out five. Jake Kennedy spelled Pesca but lasted just one innings. Zane Burns pitched three 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits and Bryce LeBlanc came for the final 2/3 inning.

The Cowboys head into Game 3 at 24-15 and 8-9 in Big 12 play. But with a win on Sunday, they can pick up their third Big 12 series of the season. Opening pitch is at 1 p.m. Sunday at O’Brate Stadium.