Backup plan: Abram quiets Texas Tech bats after Oklahoma State ace scratched

The Texas Tech baseball team had to know going into Saturday runs would be hard to come by.

They were indeed, but because of a different pitcher than everyone expected.

Ben Abram allowed one run over six innings, setting the tone for No. 13 Oklahoma State in a 9-4 victory over the 18th-ranked Red Raiders. Juaron Watts-Brown, the Big 12 strikeouts leader going into the weekend and a top prospect for this year's Major League draft, was scratched from his scheduled start in the second game of the series at Dan Law Field/Rip Griffin Park.

Abram (3-0) came in with a 6.14 earned-run average. The 6-foot-8 senior righthander didn't pile up strikeouts at the same rate, but he was more than effective enough for the Cowboys (16-4, 1-1) to snap their six-game losing streak against the Red Raiders (17-4, 1-1), who have won 15 of the past 18 between the two teams.

"We had an idea Abram was going, and so let's not take anything away from Abram," Tech coach Tim Tadlock said. "He threw the ball awful well, commanded the ball, commanded the off-speed pitches and did an outstanding job."

Abram struck out six, scattered six hits and left after six innings with a 4-1 lead. Other than a solo home run by Damian Bravo in the third inning, Tech's best chance to get to Abram came in the fifth when the Red Raiders loaded the bases on a two-out single by Nolen Hester, a double from Gage Harrelson and a walk to Kevin Bazzell.

Abram struck out cleanup batter Austin Green to end the threat.

Tadlock said the Red Raiders became aware around the time of pre-game batting practice Watts-Brown had been scratched. An OSU athletics spokesman did not offer a reason, but said Watts-Brown hasn't been ruled out for the series finale at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Watts-Brown, a righthander from Hanford, California, signed a letter of intent with Tech three years ago, but the Red Raiders backed off him over concerns about a football-related shoulder injury. During the Covid-disrupted 2020, MLB cut its annual draft to five rounds. In Tech's case, that meant a number of players who might have turned pro in a normal year stayed on the Red Raiders' roster. Watts-Brown, needing time to rehab the injury, was squeezed out.

"The five-round draft was probably the biggest factor," Tadlock said. "We got a lot of kids to school, a lot of really good players to school, and so you've got to make those decisions."

Watts-Brown broke out last season as a redshirt freshman at Long Beach State, going 3-0 with a 1.64 earned-run average in May, a month in which he struck out 55 in 33 innings. Since transferring to Oklahoma State, he's 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA this season and 35 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings.

MLB.com has him as the No. 39 prospect for this summer's draft as an eligible sophomore.

"The guys at Long Beach State, to me, deserve a lot of credit for where he is right now," Tadlock said. "They took him as a freshman and he got healthy and then last year ... was one of their better guys.

"We actually sat down in the Cape last year and had seafood with him and his mom. He was open to coming back here. It was down to us and them. Unfortunately, they got him, but he's a great kid and great family."

Cowboys designated hitter Tyler Wulfert homered his first two times up against Tech starter Mason Molina (2-1), who lasted 5 1/3 innings. They added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Green's two-out run-scoring single in the Tech seventh narrowed the gap to 4-2. But Evan O'Toole got Gavin Kash looking, stranding runners at the corners.

Oklahoma State blew the game open with a five-run eighth. Nolan McLean led off with a homer, Marcus Brown tripled home a run and Roc Riggio capped the uprising with a three-run homer.

Ty Coleman and Green hit solo homers for Tech in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively.

The series concludes with a game at 2 p.m. Sunday.

OKLAHOMA STATE 9, TEXAS TECH 4

Oklahoma State 010 111 050 — 9 12 0

Texas Tech 001 000 111 — 4 11 0

Abram, Blake (7), O'Toole (7), Davis (8) and Adkinson; Molina, Parish (6), J. Lopez (8) and Maxcey. W—Abram (3-0). L—Molina (2-1). 2B—Oklahoma State, Benge (5), Mendham (9); Texas Tech, Harrelson (10). 3B—Oklahoma State, M. Brown (1). HR—Oklahoma State, Wulfert 2 (3), McLean (5), Riggio (5); Texas Tech, Bravo (2), Coleman (1), Green (5). Records: Oklahoma State 16-4, 1-1; Texas Tech 17-4, 1-1.

Friday's Late Game

TEXAS TECH 8, OKLAHOMA STATE 7 (10 innings)

Oklahoma State 201 310 000 0 — 7 9 4

Texas Tech 010 020 040 1 — 8 10 1

Hendry, Blake (6), Stebens (7), Benzor (7), McLean (8) and Adkison; Girton, Crowley (4), Lysik (5), Coombes (7), Free (9) and White. W—Free (2-1). L—McLean (0-1). 2B—Oklahoma State, Schubart 2 (6), Meola (6); Texas Tech, Bazzell (9), Kash (7).

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Backup plan: Abram quiets Texas Tech bats after Oklahoma State ace scratched