Oklahoma State baseball delivered a powerful bounce-back weekend, routing Texas Tech 16-6 in Game 1 and rallying for a 9-8 victory in Game 2 to clinch the series in Lubbock.
LUBBOCK, TX – Oklahoma State baseball delivered a solid performance this weekend, clinching its third Big 12 Conference series victory of the 2026 season with decisive wins in the first two games against Texas Tech at Rip Griffin Park.
The Cowboys took Game 1 by a lopsided 16-6 score in seven innings via the run rule on Friday and followed it up with a gritty 9-8 comeback victory on Saturday, improving to 27-16 overall and 10-10 in league play. Texas Tech dropped to 22-21 (6-14 Big 12) in the process.
The series win marked a strong bounce-back weekend for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys had lost their previous Big 12 series to Kansas the weekend prior, including a 9-6 defeat on April 19 at O’Brate Stadium.
Midweek action provided a positive change, however, as OSU dismantled Wichita State 14-4 in just seven innings on April 21 in Stillwater. That run-rule victory set the stage for the Cowboys to regain momentum on the road against the Red Raiders.
Friday’s Series Opener (OSU 16, TTU 6)
Oklahoma State exploded offensively in Friday’s contest, pounding out 15 hits with no errors while Texas Tech managed 12 hits and committed one. The Cowboys jumped ahead early and never looked back. In the first inning, Alex Conover walked, advanced on a balk and groundout, and scored on Aidan Meola’s RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Texas Tech answered with a two-out double off the left-field wall to tie it at 1-1.
The second inning saw Garrett Shull launch a two run homer over the right-center field wall, his ninth of the season, after Sebastian Norman singled, pushing OSU ahead 3-1.
Then came the third-inning onslaught: nine runs that blew the game open. Campbell Smithwick singled in a run, Norman crushed a three-run homer to left, Kollin Ritchie added an RBI single, and Meola capped the frame with a grand slam over the left-field wall.
Meola finished the day 4 for 5 with a career high six RBIs, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Norman went 3 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs, while Conover collected three hits, three runs, and two steals. Smithwick drove in three runs total, including a two-RBI double in the seventh.
On the mound, left-hander Ethan Lund earned the win (4-1), tossing six innings with four strikeouts while allowing five runs on 10 hits. Kai Fyke closed it out with a scoreless final frame featuring two strikeouts.
For Texas Tech, Logan Hughes and Robin Villeneuve each went 3 for 5 with two RBIs apiece, providing the Red Raiders’ only real offensive bright spots. Hughes doubled in the first to tie the game and nearly homered, while Villeneuve drove in a seventh-inning run.
Starter Jonny Lowe (1-1) took the loss after allowing three runs in two innings while Connor Mohan surrendered nine runs in just two-thirds of an inning of relief.
Saturday’s Series Clincher (OSU 9, TTU 8)
Saturday’s game was a back and forth game that showed Oklahoma State’s fight.
Texas Tech built a 2-0 lead in the second on Tracer Lopez’s two-RBI double. The Cowboys responded in the third with three straight hits with Brock Thompson’s opposite field RBI double, Ritchie’s RBI infield single, and Meola’s run scoring single to take a 3-2 advantage.
Texas Tech reclaimed the lead at 6-3 after a solo homer by Kyeler Thompson in the sixth and a two-out, two-RBI double. But OSU went for four runs in the seventh to take a 7-6 lead. Conover launched a solo homer to left (his sixth of the year), Ritchie tripled off the center field batter’s eye, Meola walked, Smithwick delivered a two-RBI double, and Colin Brueggemann added an RBI double into the gap.
Ritchie provided insurance in the eighth with a two run opposite field homer, his 22nd of the season, making it 9-6.
Texas Tech rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth on back to back RBI singles, but Hudson Barrett escaped the bases loaded jam with strikeouts and fly outs.
In the ninth, a dramatic double play, sealed by a runner interference call at third, ended the game with Barrett earning the win (3-1).
Ritchie paced the offense with a 3 for 5 day, three RBIs, a triple, and a homer. Conover went 3 for 5 with a homer and two runs scored. Smithwick and Brueggemann each added key doubles and RBIs.
Starter Stormy Rhodes worked a career high 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. Barrett struck out two in two scoreless relief innings.
Texas Tech collected 14 hits, with Lopez (two RBIs), Hughes, Linkin Garcia (two RBIs), and Kyeler Thompson providing multi-hit contributions, but the bullpen faltered late as Logan Addison took the loss (0-1).
Looking Ahead to Game 3
Oklahoma State’s series clinching performance bodes well for its NCAA Tournament hopes and keeps the Cowboys competitive in the crowded Big 12 standings. The teams will conclude the series on Sunday, April 26, at 11:00AM in Lubbock. The game was moved up from 1:00PM due to expected high winds.
Pitching matchups for the finale remain to be determined as of Saturday evening, with both programs expected to turn to their available arms in a bid to close out the weekend on their preferred note.