Cowboy Baseball Closes Weekend With Tie

Sunday, March 18

Stillwater, OK

12:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

9-8-1

Seton Hall

7-9-1

Seton Hall

Oklahoma State

C.J. Varela

March 18, 2018 | Cowboy Baseball

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STILLWATER – For the first time since 1985, Oklahoma State ended a baseball game without a winner. After attempting to outlast a lightning delay, the Cowboys tied Seton Hall, 3-3, Sunday afternoon at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium as the game was called with one out and two OSU runners in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth inning due to the weather and SHU's travel curfew.

The game marks the first to ever end in a tie at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium in its 37-year history. OSU's last tie game came against Western Michigan in Lakeland, Fla., on March 4, 1985, in a contest called due to darkness.

Despite being outhit by the Pirates by a 9-3 margin, Oklahoma State (9-8-1) got some big swings, including Colin Simpson's fifth home run of the season, to get on the scoreboard.

OSU also got a quality start out of sophomore right-hander C.J. Varela, who worked five innings and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out two and walking a pair before handing the ball to Joe Lienhard, who struck out four in three innings of relief.

The Pirates (7-9-1) jumped out to a quick lead on Connor Hood's two-run homer in the second inning, but OSU's first hit of the game was a big one as Simpson led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot to right field to cut Seton Hall's lead to 2-1.

An inning later, the Cowboys took the lead thanks to an error by the Pirates. After Simpson and Matt Kroon both walked with two outs, Seton Hall right fielder Ryan Ramiz dropped a fly ball off the bat of Christian Funk, which allowed Simpson and Kroon to score and give the Cowboys a 3-2 advantage.

But Seton Hall tied things up in the seventh as Al Molina singled through the right side with two outs to score Hood.

In the eighth, Simpson led off with an infield single and was followed by a walk to Funk. Up next, Jon Littell grounded a ball to third base, where SHU's Casey Dana fielded it and stepped on third for the force out but threw errantly to first to put Cowboys on second and third.

But as Michael Neustifter strode to the plate, the lightning sirens sounded. The game was delayed for 36 minutes and was set to resume before the sirens went off again, causing the game to be halted and officially end in a tie.

The Cowboys will be back in action Tuesday night in Conway, Ark., against Central Arkansas before opening Big 12 Conference play Friday at Texas.