A Late Surge Secures Victory
Oklahoma State entered the non‑conference matchup against Oral Roberts with a 34‑18 record, sitting 21st in the nation, while the Golden Eagles held a 30‑21 slate. The Cowboys hoped to build on a season that had already seen Kollin Ritchie near the top of the program’s home‑run list.
The game opened with Alex Conover launching a two‑run homer on the fourth pitch, giving the Cowboys an early 2‑0 lead. Conover added another blast in the second inning, and Ritchie followed with a solo shot later in the game, bringing his season total to 28 and placing him among the top five single‑season leaders in school history.
Oral Roberts answered in the fourth inning, plating three runs to take a 4‑2 advantage. Campbell Smithwick’s sacrifice fly in the fifth trimmed the gap to 4‑3, and Martell Davis’ two‑run homer pushed the lead to 6‑3 before the Cowboys began to rally.
Avery Ortiz ignited the comeback with a grand slam in the sixth, flipping the score to 9‑6. Ritchie’s subsequent homer extended the lead to 10‑6, and Ortiz later added an RBI double in the seventh. Remo Indomenico capped the scoring with a two‑out, two‑RBI double in the eighth, sealing a 12‑7 win.
Reliever Jake Kennedy earned the victory, allowing just one run on two hits over 4 ⅔ innings while striking out four. His effort improved him to 3‑0 on the season and underscored the depth of the Cowboys’ bullpen as they head into their final regular‑season test.
The Cowboys will close out the regular season with a showdown against Arizona, a matchup that could influence postseason seeding. With key contributors like Conover, Ortiz, Ritchie and Kennedy poised to finish the year strong, Oklahoma State looks to carry this momentum into the next chapter.