Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Cal Poly
Cowboys Hold Off Late Rally For Sweep
February 27, 2011 | Cowboy Baseball
Feb. 27, 2011
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State earned a three-game series sweep for the second-straight weekend Sunday afternoon as the Cowboys held off a ninth inning rally from Cal Poly for an 8-7 win at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
Cal Poly (0-6) rallied for four runs in their final at bat and had the tying run on second base before OSU reliever Gabe Weidenaar struck out David Armendariz to notch his first-career save and help the Cowboys improve to 6-1 on the season.
OSU also got some clutch hitting to propel it to the win. With the game tied 3-3 in the sixth, the Cowboys loaded the bases with one out. Devin Shines stepped to the plate, and after quickly falling behind in the count 0-2, the junior drove a ball over the head of Armendariz in left field for a bases-clearing double. Two batters later, the Pokes tacked on another run on an RBI double by Hunter Bailey to make the score 7-3.
The Cowboys added an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI double by Mark Ginther, and it proved to be a much-needed score.
Leading 8-3, OSU called on Chris Marlowe out of the bullpen to start the ninth inning. After getting Jimmy Allen to ground out, the Cowboy right-hander walked two-straight Mustang hitters. Another ground ball resulted in the second out of the frame and moved CP runners to second and third.
But that's when things began to go sideways. Marlowe's third walk of the inning loaded the bases, and his fourth brought home a run and ended his day on the mound.
With the bases still full, Weidenaar returned for his second pitching stint in the contest and promptly surrendered a three-RBI double to Tim Wise on a 2-2 count.
The Mustangs' rally would end there, however, as with OSU clinging to the 8-7 lead, Weidenaar blew a fastball by Armendariz to end the game and secure the win.
Weidenaar started the game as the OSU first baseman, then moved to the mound where he worked two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. When Marlowe came on to pitch, Weidenaar moved to center field before being called on to close the game out on the hill. He also went 1-for-4 at the plate and has hit safely in each of his first seven games as a Cowboy.
Josh Neilson picked up the first win of his OSU career as he retired the only batter he faced in the sixth inning.
Jared Womack, Dane Phillips and Bailey each collected two hits in the contest, and Phillips extended a hitting streak dating back to last season to nine games.
OSU returns to action Tuesday when the Cowboys host Missouri State at 4 p.m.
