Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Rout Western Illinois, 19-7
February 25, 2006 | Cowboy Baseball
Oklahoma State returned to the diamond for the first time in nearly two weeks and picked up right where they left off with a 19-7 win over Western Illinois in front of 845 fans at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium on Friday.
The Cowboys, who improved to 3-1, scored all their runs in the first five innings and finished the contest with 20 hits, 11 of those of the extra-base variety.
The Cowboys wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as they put up six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Corey Brown led off the inning with a double to right-centerfield and later scored OSU's first run on Shelby Ford's RBI triple.
Bringing home the Cowboys' second run with an RBI single was Tyler Mach. A bases loaded RBI walk by Rebel Ridling made the score 3-0, and a wild pitch and passed ball allowed two more runs to cross the plate. Brown's second hit of the inning, an RBI single, made the score 6-0 and gave OSU a lead that would never be threatened.
Brown paced the offensive attack with a 3-for-4, three-RBI performance and finished just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Brown also stole two bases and was one of four Cowboys with at least three hits.
Not to be outdone was Ford, who collected four hits in six at-bats – including his second homer of the season – and also drove in three runs.
The Cowboys treated the fans to a rarity in the bottom of the fourth inning as Ty Wright, Ford and Mach blasted back-to-back-to-back home runs. Each of the big flies carried well over the left-field wall. It was the first time OSU has recorded three consecutive homers since April 4, 2000 against Oral Roberts.
With plenty of run support, OSU starter Oliver Odle earned the first win of his Cowboy career with a strong six innings of work. The junior right hander allowed just two earned runs on five hits to improve to 1-1 on the season.
For the Leathernecks (2-4), Matt Newquist and Joe Pacyga each homered and drove in a pair of runs. Nick Prater took the loss on the mound as the southpaw lasted just 1/3 of an inning.
The Cowboys, who are now 55-14 all-time in home openers, host WIU Saturday at 3 p.m.
