Longhorns can’t secure sweep, drop finale to No. 14 Oklahoma State 7-2

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas clinched the series against No. 14 Oklahoma State on Saturday but fell short of a sweep with a 7-2 loss Sunday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

The loss moves the Longhorns back into a tie for second place with the Cowboys and West Virginia at 15-9 in Big 12 play. No. 22 Oklahoma swept Texas Tech and has a 3-game lead over the field at 18-6 with two series remaining.

Longhorns head coach David Pierce said losing with an opportunity to sweep a series hits differently than, for example, losing the first game and winning the next two.

“It just feels like you didn’t finish the job,” he said. “If you lost Friday and win the next two, you feel great. If you win Friday and lose Saturday but then win the series, it still feels great. I’m proud of our guys for winning the series, but I’m not satisfied with the way we played today.”

After plenty of offense in the first two games, the Longhorns went dormant comparatively Sunday. Their two runs came late on solo home runs by Kimble Schuessler and Jack O’Dowd, but Texas could only muster four hits.

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Oklahoma State starting pitcher Carson Benge pitched 6 2/3 innings for the Cowboys allowing one run on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks. He also hit a solo home run in the fourth inning for the game’s first run.

“He was outstanding,” Pierce said of Benge. “When you have a kid like that who is an everyday player and keeps it so low, he was just really good.”

O’Dowd’s homer off Benge in the seventh inning broke up the shutout and Schuessler took Cowboys reliever Robert Cranz deep in the ninth.

Texas used eight pitchers with starter Lebarron Johnson Jr. going 4 1/3 innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk.

Despite Sunday’s loss, it’s the fourth consecutive Big 12 series win for the Longhorns. As the regular season nears its end, Pierce said his guys could use a day off since final exams were also this week. He said Monday will be an off day in preparation for the upcoming weekend series in Orlando against Central Florida.

“The rest will do us well,” he said. “Tuesday we’ll get back at it.”

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