Cowboy Baseball Clinches Series

Saturday, February 27

Stillwater, OK

4:00 P.M.

Oklahoma State University

5-0

Illinois State

2-2

Illinois State

Oklahoma State

February 27, 2021 | Cowboy Baseball

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STILLWATER – Behind the strong pitching of Parker Scott and a power surge at the plate Oklahoma State clinched a series win over Illinois State with an 8-2 triumph on Saturday at O'Brate Stadium.

With the win, the 17^th-ranked Cowboys improved to 5-0 on the season, while the Redbirds fell to 2-2.

Scott was dominant on the mound as the southpaw tossed six shutout innings and struck out seven. He allowed four hits and issued a pair of walks in improving to 2-0 on the season.

Offensively, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cade Cabbiness and Brock Mathis each homered, and the Cowboys used a six-run rally in the sixth inning to help secure a win.

OSU struck for its first run in the opening inning. After a leadoff walk to Matt Golda, a sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position. That set the table for Nolan McLean, who delivered an RBI single to make the score 1-0.

In the fourth, Encarnacion-Strand extended that lead as he crushed his second home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center field.

The sixth proved to be the pivotal inning. With the bases full of Cowboys and one out, Alix Garcia ripped a double down the left-field line that brought home two runs.

Up next, Cabbiness stepped to the plate and smacked his first round tripper of the season, a three-run job to the left-center power alley

Mathis would follow suit, delivering his first homer of the season to left field, with the back-to-back shots giving the Cowboys an 8-0 advantage.

ISU managed its only two runs in the seventh inning off OSU reliever Kale Davis, who recorded a rarity with seven strikeouts in two innings out of the bullpen.

The two teams return to O'Brate Sunday to close out the series with the finale set for a 1 p.m. first pitch.