Oklahoma State isn’t rolling out its ace for Bedlam—but that doesn’t mean the Cowboys are backing down. With Harry Bodendorf getting a breather, OSU is turning to a full-staff bullpen approach in hopes of stealing another ranked win and leaning into one of the few constants in an up-and-down season: their depth on the mound.
Oklahoma State Using Committee Approach Against Sooners
After throwing 125 pitches and going 10 innings in a three-hit victory over Arizona, the team looks to skip left-hander Harry Bodendorf in the rotation. With their ace resting another day, the Pokes’ bullpen looks to be an active part of the conversation tonight.
Despite a disappointing season by Cowboys’ standards, one bright spot continues to be the pitching staff.
While not utterly dominant, they manage to keep the team in the game, even though the offense struggles to the point of flat-out crumbling under pressure.
After consecutive losses against Arizona, the pitching staff needs to carry the team on its metaphorical back. Scott Wright, who covers OSU for the Oklahoman newspaper, expands on the point further, stating:
“From the OSU side, prepare to see the full depth of the bullpen. OSU was without one of its weekend starters at Arizona last week, with junior right-hander Sean Youngerman unavailable. So going into an important weekend series at home against Houston, OSU coach Josh Holliday will likely try to avoid taxing any arms more than he needs to.”
“That’s not to say OSU isn’t taking this game seriously. The Pokes could really benefit from another win over a ranked opponent, particularly with the recent momentum they’ve had.”
Now, Wright doesn’t outright say that Oklahoma State will punt on this game. However, he mentions that the weekend series at Houston matters more because of the conference implications, which makes a great deal of sense.
Heading to the Pen
Mario Pesca looks like the name that Oklahoma State relies on out of the pen with the most frequency. With 30 innings pitched and only two pitchers (Bodendorf, Hunter Watkins), the St. John’s transfer looks like the first man up.
The six-foot-eight hurler will go right after hitting with unabashed determination. He never wanders or retreats.
Instead, he’s hammering down, pedaling to the metal, and challenging hitters. With longer levers, he can hide the ball just a second longer before the release. Visually, that gives him 2-4 mph. That may not seem like a vast difference, but it will affect how quickly the batter can pick up on the pitch.
First and foremost, Oklahoma State must be aggressive when facing certain Sooners and precise when others step up to the dish.
For example, OU Trey Gambill does not possess much power. With just one home run, he looks to draw walks that turn into stolen bases. Before you know it, he’ll score on a single to the outfield from second. Being a little inaccurate in the strike zone will not hurt you in the slightest.
Meanwhile, infielder Jaxon Willits must love Stillwater. Last season, not only did he take OU deep twice, but the sophomore also left the yard in consecutive outings.
Under those circumstances, Oklahoma State must take out the paintbrush and start attending to the corners. The leader home run hitter on the team means that anything he sees that he loves, especially elevated, with see the fullest swing attempt of the evening.
For Oklahoma State, the bullpen approach actually helps them in this game. Chances remain high that they will not see the same pitcher three times today.
KEEP READING: Everything You Need to Know About Cowboys’ Tuesday Matchup vs. Oklahoma
In that case, with less of a familiarity, they could swing at bad balls, especially with runners on base. Forcing poor swings leads to either easy grounders or a can of corn popups and flyouts.
With that said, whatever season-long slumber the OSU bats continue to snooze through needs to end. The pitching staff can keep this game close. However, the team will desperately need the offense to start scoring by absolutely any means necessary.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
