Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Fall To FGCU
March 31, 2010 | Cowboy Baseball
March 31, 2010
STILLWATER, Okla. - Oklahoma State lost at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium for just the second time this season as the Cowboys dropped a 10-7 contest to Florida Gulf Coast Wednesday night.
With the loss, OSU fell to 15-7 overall, while the Eagles improved to 15-9.
The Cowboys led 5-3 after six innings of play, but FGCU rallied for seven runs over the next two innings to pick up the come-from-behind win.
FGCU opened the game with a three-run first against Cowboy starter Mike Strong, while the Cowboys managed just one run over the first five innings, that coming on a solo home run by Mark Ginther in the fourth.
But in the sixth, the Cowboys would rally and take the lead.
Tom Belza got things started with a single, and after Ginther flied out, Nico Rosthenhausler tripled. A wild pitch promptly brought Rosthenhausler home with the tying run, and then the Cowboys started another rally after the second out of the inning.
Luis Uribe opened that rally with a single, and Kevin Chambers doubled to put the Cowboys on top, 4-3. Dusty Harvard extended the lead to two when he singled through the left side.
The lead did not last long, however. With one on and two outs in the top of the seventh, Austin Gaines homered off OSU reliever Trevor Walch to tie the score. Following a walk and a hit batsmen, Kurtis Mullaney delivered the go-ahead RBI with a single.
In the bottom of the inning, OSU let a golden opportunity slip away. Davis Duren led off the frame with a single and then stole second, and a single by Belza put runners at first and third with one out. But Duren was picked off, and Rosthenhausler popped out to end the inning.
The Eagles' hot hitting continued in the eighth as they scored four runs on four hits, the big blow coming on a two-run homer by Zach Maxfield.
Trailing 10-5, the Cowboys plated a pair of runs in the eighth on a single by Eric Walker, but Belza struck out with two runners on to end the inning.
FGCU's Richie Erath tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his first save of the season.
OSU returns to Big 12 Conference play Friday when the Cowboys host Nebraska at Reynolds Stadium. Friday's opener is set for 6:30 p.m.
