Orlando was no “Disney World” for the Pokes on Friday, losing 12-11 against UCF in their conference play opener — back at it today at 5:00PM
ORLANDO, FL — In a wild back-and-forth affair that kicked off Big 12 Conference play, the Oklahoma State Cowboys fell 12-11 to the UCF Knights on Friday evening at John Euliano Park in Orlando, Florida.
The loss dropped OSU to 12-5 overall and 0-1 in league action, while UCF improved to 10-6 and 1-0. The Cowboys built an early 6-0 lead but couldn’t hold on as the Knights mounted a massive comeback, erasing the deficit with an 11-run surge before surviving a late OSU rally.
The game started promisingly for Oklahoma State. In the top of the first, after Brock Thompson singled and Aidan Meola walked, Campbell Smithwick delivered a two-out, two-RBI double to left-center, scoring both runners. Remo Indomenico followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0.
The Cowboys extended their lead in the second when Meola crushed a two-run homer to left—his seventh of the season—after Kollin Ritchie reached on a hit-by-pitch, pushing the score to 6-0. OSU starter Ethan Lund held UCF scoreless through three innings, striking out five.
However, the wheels came off in the fourth and fifth. UCF plated four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run double and a pair of RBI singles. The Knights then exploded for seven in the fifth, featuring a three-run homer from Andrew Williamson and a bases-clearing double from Danny Jacobs, flipping the script to an 11-6 lead.
Brennan Phillips (1-1) took the loss for OSU after relieving Lund, who finished with 3 2/3 innings, five hits, four runs, and five strikeouts. The Cowboys used seven pitchers total, combining for a 5.16 team ERA entering the game, which ranks respectably but couldn’t contain UCF’s timely hitting.
Oklahoma State bounced back in the seventh, scoring four to pull within one. Alex Conover singled in a run, Thompson added an RBI via fielder’s choice, and Ritchie blasted a two-run homer to right-center, his 12th of the year, leading the team and ranking third nationally with 31 RBIs entering the series. UCF tacked on an insurance run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly, making it 12-10.
In the ninth, TP Wentworth led off with a solo homer, trimming the gap to 12-11. The Cowboys loaded the bases with one out on walks to Thompson, Meola, and Smithwick, but Ritchie fouled out and Meola struck out to end the threat.
Standout players for OSU included Conover, who went 3-for-5 with a run, an RBI, and a stolen base, boosting his .340 average. Meola finished 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs, while Ritchie contributed three RBIs, three runs, and a hit-by-pitch despite going 1-for-4. Wentworth added a 2-for-5 line with two runs and an RBI. The Cowboys tallied 12 hits, including three homers and a double, but left 10 on base and committed one error.
For UCF, Williamson shone with a 2-for-4 performance, including his three-run homer, three RBIs, two runs, and a hit-by-pitch. Jacobs drove in four RBIs, and Mikey Moran added three RBIs with a sacrifice hit and fly. Zak Skinner chipped in an RBI and two runs. The Knights managed 10 hits with two errors, capitalizing on OSU’s pitching woes. Mateo Gray (2-0) earned the win in relief, pitching 2 1/3 innings, while Kris Sosnowski notched the save despite the tense ninth. UCF’s team batting average sits at .275, with a stingy 3.91 ERA from their staff.
This three-game weekend series marks the opening of Big 12 play for the Cowboys, who entered with momentum after a 2-1 series win over Gardner-Webb and a thrilling 6-5 walk-off victory against Dallas Baptist on Tuesday.
Against Gardner-Webb, OSU rebounded from a Friday loss with a 4-2 win on Saturday and a 16-1 run-rule rout on Sunday, showcasing their offensive firepower with 34 home runs this season, seventh in the nation. The DBU win featured Smithwick’s solo homer in the 10th for the walk-off.
The series continues today, Saturday, March 14, at 5:00 p.m. CDT, with Oklahoma State sending right-hander Mario Pesca (1-1, 4.50 ERA) to the mound against UCF’s junior righty Matt Sauser (1-0, 0.00 ERA). Sunday’s finale is set for 1:00 p.m. CDT, with starters to be announced.
The all-time series between OSU and UCF is tied 6-6, dating back to 2024, adding a rubber match aspect to this series.
Under head coach Josh Holliday in his 14th season, the Cowboys boast a .286 team average and 162 strikeouts from their pitchers, ranking 27th nationally. UCF, led by third-year coach Rich Wallace (75-53 record), has been good in non-conference play and now aims to build on this win.
With both teams eyeing postseason berths, this series could set the tone for their Big 12 campaigns. The Cowboys will need sharper pitching and fewer stranded runners to bounce back and avoid an 0-3 conference start.