STILLWATER, Okla. – A five-run second inning proved critical for Little Rock at 17th-ranked Oklahoma State Wednesday, but the Trojans were able to regroup and play the Cowboys even over the final seven innings in a 7-2 loss at O'Brate Stadium.
Playing the first-ever game in the Cowboys' new state-of-the-art ballpark, Little Rock made a bit of history and provided the answer to a future trivia question as
Canyon McWilliams delivered the first base hit in O'Brate Stadium with a single in the top of the second. It would be the start of a memorable day for the grad transfer from Shaker Heights, Ohio.
After starter
Erik McKnight struck out the side in the bottom of the first, the Cowboys took advantage of some timely hitting in the bottom of the second, registering five runs on five hits to build the 5-0 lead after two and putting the Trojans in an early hole.
Little Rock got one back in the top of the third, loading the bases with no outs after consecutive walks to
Kobe Barnum,
Tyler Williams and
Eldrige Figueroa. Chris Prentis grounded into a double play at short, but it allowed Barnum to score from third to cut the Little Rock deficit to 5-1.
Oklahoma State extended the lead back to five with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 6-1. But that was answered with a Trojan solo shot in the top of the sixth off the bat of McWilliams, slipping just inside the right field foul pole for his first round tripper of the season.
The Cowboys would once again push the lead back to five in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases off three walks and plating a run off a wild pitch with two outs in the inning. The Trojans threatened one last time in the ninth, getting
Miguel Soto and
Nathan Lyons in scoring position, but a strikeout ended the home opener for Oklahoma State.
Little Rock's offense was able to muster just four hits on the day, two of which came from McWilliams who was 2-for-4 with the RBI and run scored off the home run. Soto and
John Michael Russ both went 1-for-4 as the Trojans were able to draw four walks on the day, including a pair for Lyons.
On the mound, Little Rock used five pitchers on the afternoon with McKnight getting the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) with four hits and three strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work.
Aaron Barkley had a solid Trojan debut, allowing no runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts after relieving McKnight in the second.
Jacob Weatherley also made his Little Rock debut, allowing two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings of work.
Austin Smith and
Sawyer Smallwood combined to pitch the final 2.2 innings as the duo held the Cowboys hitless with each recording a strikeout.
After a three-game road swing in Oklahoma, Little Rock now gets set to return home to open up a four-game homestand, beginning with a weekend series against Eastern Illinois. Game one is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, but with rain in the forecast, the series against the Panthers may be altered. Stay tuned to
LRTrojans.com as well as
@LittleRockBSB on Twitter for any schedule alterations.
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