Early Home Runs Halt Little Rock at No. 23 Oklahoma State

STILLWATER, Okla. – Tyler Williams was 2-for-4 and Kale Emshoff followed his Sun Belt Player of the Week announcement with a 1-for-3 performance at the plate with a run scored but No. 23 Oklahoma State used three home runs to halt Little Rock's upset bid in a 9-1 decision at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Cowboys (6-2) used three home runs over the first four innings to keep the Trojans (6-3) at arm's length, but Little Rock had its chances, stranding seven runners on base including four in scoring position.
 
As a staff, Little Rock pitchers fanned nine Oklahoma State batters but allowed nine runs on 12 hits. Cal Beardsley (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing six of those runs on seven hits through 3.2 innings. He walked three and struck out four in his second start of the year.
 
Noah Sifrit was the main adversary for Trojan pitchers, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base.
 
Little Rock threatened early on in the game, putting runners on second and third in the opening frame, but couldn't get the timely hit to drive them in. After sitting down the Cowboys in a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, the Trojans once again put a runner in scoring position but couldn't get him to the plate.
 
That is when Oklahoma State struck, jumping on the opportunity left by Little Rock. The Cowboys hit back-to-back home runs in the second while an RBI single by Sifrit added a fourth run.
 
Two innings, and another runner stranded in scoring position later, OSU struck again, this time with a two-run home run that chased Beardsley from the mound.
 
In between, Little Rock pushed a run across as Tucker Childers drove a double to center, sending Emshoff home from first. Emshoff reached base twice and had a pair of long fly outs to the outfield.
 
While relief pitching allowed a trio of OSU runs, the Trojan hurlers also kept Cowboy hitters on their toes by recording five strikeouts over the final 4.1 innings of relief work and allowing just five hits in that time span.
 
The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
 
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