Around The Horn: Cowboy Baseball Opening Weekend

Thomas Hatch

February 22, 2016 | Cowboy Baseball

Oklahoma State opened the 2016 season at the Clay Gould Classic in Arlington, Texas, last weekend, turning in a 2-2 record as the Cowboys split two games each against host UT Arlington and Stephen F. Austin.

Weekend Highlights

OSU won its first two games of the season on Saturday, knocking off SFA, 8-2, before a 5-3 win over UTA.
The Cowboys' pitching staff turned in a collective 2.80 ERA, and the two opponents combined for just a .216 batting average in four games against the OSU hurlers.
Six different Cowboys made their OSU debuts — third baseman Garrett Benge, catchers Colin Simpson and Collin Theroux and pitchers Jensen Elliott, Ben Leeper and Max Simpson.
Colin Simpson smacked a triple in his first-collegiate at-bat in Friday's season opener vs. UTA.
Thomas Hatch returned to the mound for the first time since 2014 after missing last season with injury. The right-hander started against SFA on Saturday and worked seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
Jensen Elliott made his collegiate debut with a start against UTA on Saturday. The 6-foot-6 righty tossed five scoreless innings, striking out five and not issuing a walk, to earn the win.
Donnie Walton led the Cowboys with six hits on the weekend, including a pair of doubles, while Corey Hassel and Jon Littell had five hits apiece.
Conor Costello led the Cowboys with six RBIs.
Trey Cobb made his second-career start and first since his freshman season in 2014 when he took the ball for the season opener against UTA. The right-hander, who has made 48 relief appearances in his career, allowed three runs – only one of them earned – and struck out five in five innings of work.
Michael Mertz collected his first-career save Saturday vs. UTA.

Stat Speak

Corey Hassel was 5-for-13 in the tourney and led OSU with a .615 slugging percentage and a pair of stolen bases.
Donnie Walton is OSU's top hitter through four games, sporting a .400 batting average (6-for-16). He also walked three times, giving him a .500 on-base percentage.
Jon Littell had four multi-hit efforts in 30 games last season. He had two such performances in three games on opening weekend.
Conor Costello recorded eight multi-RBI games in 2015. Serving as the Cowboys' DH on opening weekend, the senior had three as he recorded two RBIs twice against SFA and once against UTA.
Dustin Williams has reached base safely in six games dating back to last season, while Donnie Walton has a five-game streak.
Conor Costello, Dustin Williams, Jon Littell and Corey Hassel will carry three-game hitting streaks into the second week of the season.

Up Next

OSU travels to Tobacco Road this weekend for a three-game series at North Carolina. The Tar Heels were ranked as high as 16^th in the preseason polls and have already moved into the top 10 of at least one national ranking this week.
UNC opened the season at No. 9 UCLA and claimed a series win against the Bruins as the Tar Heels were victorious in the series opener and finale.
OSU is 5-1 all time against North Carolina, but the two programs haven't met on the diamond since 1988 when the Cowboys won a pair of games in Stillwater. Two of OSU's wins over UNC came in the College World Series (1960 & 1966).