Cowboys Keep Rolling, Top No. 18 Michigan

Friday, March 18

Stillwater, Okla.

4:00:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

12-6

Michigan

11-4

Michigan

Oklahoma State

Collin Theroux

March 18, 2016 | Cowboy Baseball

Box Score

STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State pushed its winning streak to six games Friday with a 6-3 victory over 18^th-ranked Michigan in the series opener at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

Collin Theroux and Dustin Williams both homered for the 22^nd-ranked Cowboys, and Remey Reed picked up the win in relief as OSU improved to 12-6 on the season. The Pokes' victory snapped Michigan's four-game winning streak as the Wolverines fell to 11-4.

"(Michigan) is a good ballclub, really aggressive, and we were going back and forth the whole time," Theroux said. "The pitching staff did a great job today, especially coming behind Thomas (Hatch). Thomas didn't have his best stuff today, but even on his worst days he still keeps us in the game. And the bullpen did a great job.

"It was a really good, quality team win, and we're looking to come back and do it again tomorrow."

Theroux's bat was key to helping the Cowboys emerge victorious.

OSU initially took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a two-out RBI single by J.R. Davis, but the Wolverines answered in the fourth against Hatch. A two-RBI single by Jake Bivens gave UM a lead, and the visitors extended their advantage to 3-1 on Matt Ramsay's RBI single.

But the Cowboys would not be down long.

In the bottom of the fourth, a double by Corey Hassel and a two-out walk to Garrett Benge brought Theroux to the plate. After working the count full against UM starter Oliver Jaskie, who entered the game having allowed just one unearned run on the season, the OSU catcher drilled a line drive over the left field wall to put the Cowboys up 4-3.

The three-run blast was Theroux's first-career home run and came against a north wind blowing in at upwards of 25 miles per hour.

"It definitely felt good, especially since I've been struggling a little bit at the plate," Theroux said. "To be able to put the team in a position to take the lead and win is a great feeling.

"During BP, you couldn't hit a ball (to left) past the infield almost with that win. I put my head down and once I heard everybody start yelling, I was like, 'Oh, I guess it left.' It was a good feeling — I'll take it."

Down by a run, Michigan mounted a rally in the fifth as a single, error and walk loaded the bases with no outs. But Alex Hackerott got Johnny Slater to line into a double play before Reed came on and struck out Michael Brdar to end the inning and keep the OSU lead intact.

Reed was impressive in 3 1/3 innings of work, keeping Michigan off the scoreboard and allowing only one hit while striking out two to improve to 2-1.

OSU added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth, getting a leadoff home run from Dustin Williams, his Big 12 Conference-leading seventh of the season, and pushing the advantage to 6-3 when Hassel scored on a balk.

The Wolverines would not go quietly. Ramsay opened the ninth with a single, which brought Carson Teel out of the OSU bullpen. The southpaw struck out Carmen Benedetti before getting UM's top hitter, Harrison Wenson to fly out.

With the visitors down to their final out, OSU called on Blake Battenfield to close it out. And the righty did just that, picking up his second save in as many games by getting Cody Bruder to fly out to end the game.

The two teams return to action Saturday at 2 p.m.