The Oklahoma State Cowboys made the short trip to Tulsa on Tuesday night but came up short in an 11–6 loss to Oral Roberts in a midweek showdown at ONEOK Field.
Final Score
Oral Roberts 11, Oklahoma State 6
ORU used a massive middle-inning surge to separate, scoring eight runs between the 4th and 7th innings, ultimately overpowering the Cowboys despite a late push from OSU.
Pitching Breakdown – Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State used a mix of arms throughout the night, but command issues and timely ORU hitting proved costly.
Zane Burns (L, 2–1)
- Result: Loss
- Burns was tagged as the losing pitcher after ORU’s big inning stretch.
- He struggled to contain traffic on the bases as ORU capitalized with timely extra-base hits.
Kai Fyke / Stormy Rhodes (Relief)
- Entered in the middle innings during a pivotal stretch.
- ORU did most of its damage against the bullpen, particularly during a decisive 6-run 5th inning that flipped the game.
Overall Pitching Notes
- OSU allowed 11 runs on 9 hits, but the bigger issue was sequencing and run clustering.
- Multiple innings unraveled quickly, especially when ORU strung together walks and extra-base hits.
Offensive Standouts – Oklahoma State
Despite the loss, several Cowboys produced at the plate:
Brady Francisco
- Key Moment: 2-run HR
- Delivered one of OSU’s biggest swings, helping the Cowboys briefly take momentum mid-game.
Garrett Shull
- Performance: RBI single
- Provided situational hitting and contributed to OSU’s middle-inning rally.
Ethan Fender (ORU impact vs OSU pitching)
- Not an OSU hitter, but critical to note: delivered 2 RBI single in the 5th inning that swung the game heavily toward ORU.
Team Totals
- Runs: 6
- Hits: 10
- OSU showed offensive life late, scoring in the 6th and 8th innings, but couldn’t overcome the deficit.
ORU Offensive Leaders (Game Impact + Season Context)
Oral Roberts’ lineup showed why it’s one of the more efficient mid-major offenses in the country:
Makani Tanaka
- Season: .327 AVG, 9 HR, 38 RBI
- One of ORU’s most dangerous hitters and a consistent table-setter.
Cooper Combs
- Season: .288 AVG, 7 HR, 31 RBI
- Continues to be a steady run producer in the middle of the order.
Hudson Ellis
- Season: .296 AVG, 22 RBI
- Delivered key extra-base production, including clutch RBIs late.
Game-Changing Sequence
- ORU’s 6-run 5th inning included multiple RBI hits (highlighted by Fender and Davis), turning a tight contest into a comfortable lead.
Oklahoma State Season Snapshot
- Record: 28–17 overall
- Big 12 Record: 11–10
- The Cowboys sit in the middle tier of the Big 12 standings, battling for positioning as conference play intensifies.
Key Takeaways
- Big innings decided the game: OSU couldn’t recover from ORU’s explosive middle frames.
- Bullpen inconsistency: The Cowboys struggled to stop momentum once ORU got rolling.
- Offense showed fight: 10 hits and multiple scoring innings indicate the lineup is still trending well.
- Conference focus ahead: With a competitive Big 12 race, midweek losses like this emphasize the need for pitching depth and consistency.
