Cowboys Defeat Wichita State, 6-3

Wednesday, April 5

Wichita, KS

6:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

17-11

Wichita State

14-14

Oklahoma State

Wichita State

C.J. Varela

April 05, 2017 | Cowboy Baseball

Box Score

Holliday & Varela interviews

WICHITA, Kan. – Oklahoma State got back in the win column Wednesday night with a 6-3 victory over Wichita State at Eck Stadium.

With the win, the Cowboys improved to 17-11 on the season, while the Shockers had their three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 14-14.

Making his first-career start, freshman right-hander C.J. Varela picked up the first win of his career with five scoreless innings of work, while the offense used a five-run second inning to propel OSU to victory.

The Pokes jumped out to an early lead with a second inning rally that saw them send 10 batters to the plate en route to five runs.

Jacob Chappell got the scoring started when, with Cowboys on the corners and one out, he laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that allowed Michael Neustifter to easily score in front of the attempted tag by WSU catcher Noah Croft.

Following a walk that loaded the bases, Garrett McCain picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice, and two batters later, Colin Simpson drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-0. The Cowboys weren't done as Cade Cabbiness followed with a two-RBI single to center field to extend the lead.

Varela entered the game with just 6 2/3 innings pitched in four appearances but turned in an impressive performance, working five shutout frames and recording four strikeouts while allowing just three hits.

The Cowboys kept WSU off the scoreboard until the sixth when Trey Vickers picked up a two-out RBI single off OSU reliever Joe Lienhard to cut the lead to 5-1.

Lienhard worked three innings in relief of Varela and racked up five strikeouts. Trey Cobb pitched the final frame for the Pokes, with a throwing error and a hit-by-pitch leading to a pair of unearned runs.

Another freshman, Cameron Dobbs, also had a memorable night as he smashed the first home run of his collegiate career when he sent a pitch over the right-field wall to lead off the ninth inning.

OSU returns to Big 12 Conference action Friday when the Cowboys host Kansas State at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.