Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma
Cowboys Clinch Share Of Big 12 Title
May 15, 2014 | Cowboy Baseball
May 15, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma State clinched at least a share of its first-ever regular season Big 12 Conference championship Thursday night as the No. 6 Cowboys opened The Bedlam Series with a 4-2 win over Oklahoma at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
With its 11th consecutive win, marking its longest winning streak since a 12-game run in 2008, OSU improved to 40-13 overall and 17-5 in Big 12 play. Coupled with TCU's loss to Baylor Thursday night, the Cowboys will at least share the conference crown, and they secured the top seed at next week's Big 12 Championship.
OSU last won a regular season conference title in 1996 when the Cowboys captured a championship in the final year of the Big Eight Conference, the last of a record 16-straight conference crowns.
Josh Holliday, who played on that '96 OSU ballclub, is in his second season as the Cowboys' head coach and has now led his alma mater to back-to-back 40-win seasons.
"I'm proud of my team - I have been all year, not just when they win but just proud of who they are and what they stand for as a group," Holliday said. "To be honest with you, I don't want it to be the only (championship) - I want it to be the first of what good ballclubs look at as several that you navigate through in a season like this. I'm extremely proud of them and extremely happy for them. I'm most happy for the players and the fans. That's what's really rewarding to me, to see these kids excited and invested in each other.
"To do something that hasn't been done since '96 - I stood on that field and help that trophy up, I remember it. I'll never forget it. And it's nice to win this one. But I want our ballclub to be humble, I want them to focus and I want them to continue to play well. I want them to be proud of each other but also to carry themselves in a classy, strong way. That's what championship teams do."
The Cowboys used strong pitching from a trio of hurlers and a clutch hit from Conor Costello to secure the historic win.
Starter Jon Perrin worked 7 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out four to improve to 7-3 on the year, while Brendan McCurry worked a perfect ninth inning to collect his 16th save.
And Costello provided the big offensive blow.
The Cowboys took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Aaron Cornell delivered a sacrifice fly to center field with the bases loaded, and the next inning would be the decisive one.
Gage Green, who tied a career high with three hits in the contest, got things going in the fifth with a bunt single, and two batters later, a two-out single by Zach Fish put a pair of Cowboys on base. Up next, Costello stepped to the plate and blasted a 2-2 offering from Jacob Evans over the wall in left field, with his fifth home run of the season giving OSU a 4-0 advantage.
"I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit with runners in scoring position," Costello said. "The guys did a good job getting on base, and the main thing was just sticking to my approach and winning the pitch like we talk about. I got a good pitch to hit and put a pretty good swing on it."
OU (27-26, 7-15) managed its only runs in the eighth. After Perrin surrendered a pair of singles, Vince Wheeland came out of the Cowboy bullpen and uncorked a wild pitch that moved Sooners to second and third. Wheeland then walked pinch hitter Colt Bickerstaff and a wild pitch on ball four brought home OU's first run.
Down three with runners on the corners and one out, OU made it 4-2 on a sacrifice fly by Sheldon Neuse, but Wheeland escaped further damage with an inning-ending force out at second base.
In the ninth, McCurry came on and set the Sooners down in order to add to his career saves record with his 24th.
"We did enough on offense and had one really clutch, big swing of the bat by (Costello) and a really well-pitched game by (Perrin), played excellent defense and continued to get outstanding relief pitching," Holliday said. "I give the kids a tremendous amount of credit for settling in and doing what it takes to win the ballgame. I'm very proud of them."
OSU's Big 12 title is the fifth for the school this year, with the Cowboys joining the men's cross country, wrestling, men's indoor track and field and equestrian teams as conference champions.
The Bedlam Series now shifts to Tulsa for the final two games Friday and Saturday at ONEOK Field.
