Tommy Molsky's pitching, late-game homers key in Oklahoma State's Big 12 title game victory over Oklahoma
- Weston Wertzberger, Staff Reporter, @wdwertzberger
- May 26, 2024 Updated 8 hrs ago
With the conference tournament title on the line, the Bedlam rivals clashed as Big 12 opponents one last time on Saturday.
As Lane Forsythe caught the pop fly for the final out, the Cowboys rushed the field to celebrate their fourth Big 12 Championship title and their first since 2019.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Molsky dominates first start
In the biggest game of Tommy Molsky's life, Rob Walton gave the right-handed transfer out of Penn State the chance to start his first game as a Cowboy.
He delivered when it mattered most for Oklahoma State (40-17).
The junior tied a career-high with eight strikeouts and allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings against Oklahoma (37-19). It was also his longest outing of the season.
Relievers Gabe Davis and Robert Cranz carried Molsky's momentum for the rest of the game, with only one run and three hits allowed combined against the Sooners, their lowest-scoring performance since April 30.
Late home runs seal the deal
In Friday's twin bill against Texas Tech and UCF, Nolan Schubart hit a home run in each game.
The sophomore added another bomb over the Sooners on Saturday.
With a 4-2 lead in the top of the seventh with one out on a 1-2 count, Schubart found his mark as the ball flew over the center field wall for a three-run score, extending the OSU lead by five runs.
Schubart expanded his home run total to 20 this season, with three of those from the Big 12 Championship this weekend.
To begin the eighth inning, Kollin Ritchie and Ian Daugherty went for back-to-back home runs on opposite sides that was ultimately the dagger.
Offense keeps the magic alive
Four players for the Cowboys delivered with multiple hits for the night in the Big 12 Championship.
Carson Benge, Daugherty and Schubart each had two hits. Schubart had extra-base hits both times, with a double and a three-run homer in the seventh, with Daugherty having a single and the final home run in the eighth.
Forsythe successfully made contact three times with three singles and an RBI in the fifth.
The offense will certainly seek to keep their momentum rolling into next week, as OSU is expected to host regionals in the NCAA Tournament in Stillwater.
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