'We rode him': Roman Phansalkar helps Oklahoma State oust TCU, reach Big 12 baseball semifinals
ARLINGTON, Texas — Throughout the spring, Oklahoma State reliever Roman Phansalkar understood what the plan ultimately was for him.
He was going to be needed in a big situation early instead of late in a game. And he was going to need to provide some length.
His moment finally arrived Friday evening. And he became a hero.
“We rode him,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said.
Behind a career-long 81 pitches and five dominant relief innings, Phansalkar helped lead the fourth-seeded Cowboys into the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament by eliminating No. 1-seeded TCU 8-4 at Globe Life Field.
“It’s just the preparation that we’ve gone through,” Phansalkar said. “As the season’s evolved, I think we’ve prepared for something like this.”
The Cowboys face No. 5-seeded Texas at 9 a.m. Saturday. OSU must beat Texas twice in one day to advance to the championship game for a third straight season.
To do that, it will require quite a day from the Cowboys’ bullpen.
Phansalkar’s performance only strengthened and preserved that group.
Throughout the season, he was used in high-leverage situations late in games. His longest outing was four innings in the second game of the year at Vanderbilt. He also threw 57 pitches over three innings against TCU on April 23.
This outing was different.
Phansalkar struck out six and allowed just two hits and a walk, finding more success than usual with his changeup against a TCU lineup that featured six batters who are left-handed or a switch hitter.
“They forced me to have to be good with that pitch,” Phansalkar said. “And the way (pitching coach) Rob (Walton) called the game today, it was pretty impressive. I was landing them early and locating the ball really well.”
The Cowboys went with veteran left-hander Mitchell Stone to open the game for that very reason. But TCU scored three runs in the first two innings.
OSU’s offense responded with Griffin Doersching again being the catalyst. He launched a 450-foot, two-run homer to straightaway center field to open a four-run inning.
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So, OSU turned to Phansalkar, who allowed a run on doubles by Brayden Taylor and Bobby Goodloe to tie the game.
But Phansalkar settled down and the Cowboys added four more runs in the fifth on two-run singles by Caeden Trenkle and Zach Ehrhard.
Marcus Brown, Trenkle and Chase Adkison — batting in the bottom third of the order — went a combined 7 for 13, with Trenkle driving in three runs to lift the Cowboys offensively. Adkison also drove in a run.
That trio deepened the lineup against five TCU pitchers.
“It was the difference,” Holliday said. “It just keeps our lineup forcing the other team to execute at a high level. Those guys’ effort today was big.”
Phansalkar, meanwhile, did not allow another hit before exiting after the seventh inning. He retired 14 of the next 15 batters he faced before turning the game over to Ryan Ure, Kale Davis and Nolan McLean.
Phansalkar’s emergence gives the Cowboys another option moving forward in the postseason.
Holliday said Phansalkar could now start if available in the third game of a regional or super regional. OSU is without Bryce Osmond due to an injury and his status remains unclear moving forward.
Phansalkar could perhaps fill that gap.
“He’s now prepped and a real option if he’s not used extensively in Game 1 or 2 of a regional to start a third game if necessary,” Holliday said, “because you’re going to play every pitch as if it was your last.
“You’re going to put who you think the best competitor to give you the best chance to win in there. He’s certainly proven he’s one of those guys for us.”
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Matt Holliday elected to Cardinals Hall of Fame
Holliday will always remember his younger brother Matt in a certain MLB uniform — the St. Louis Cardinals.
And Matt will always be remembered that way around the league.
Matt Holliday was elected to the St. Louis Cardinals’ Hall of Fame on Friday, the team announced. He was chosen by a fan vote.
“I think it’s really amazing,” Josh said after OSU’s win. “That’s such an unbelievable organization. Their history and pride in baseball is just remarkable. Going all those years to watch him play there, knowing how he really identifies as a Cardinal despite having started as a Rockie and finished as a Rockie -- He’s a Cardinal.
“I know that probably meant the world to him to be recognized by a team where he put 7-8 years of his career and his family’s time and effort into that community. That’s an amazing honor and I’m really proud of him.”
Matt is currently the Cowboys’ volunteer assistant coach.
In eight years with the Cardinals, he batted .293 with 156 home runs, 237 doubles and 616 RBIs. He played 982 games.
Big 12 tournament schedule
At Arlington, Texas
(*-if necessary)
Wednesday, May 25
Game 1: No. 5 Texas 4, No. 4 Oklahoma State 0
Game 2: No. 1 TCU 4, No. 8 Baylor 2
Game 3: No. 2 Texas Tech 5, No. 7 Kansas State 3
Game 4: No. 3 Oklahoma 6, No. 6 West Virginia 4
Thursday, May 26
Game 5: Oklahoma State 11, Baylor 1 (7 innings)
Game 6: Kansas State 8, West Virginia 5
Game 7: Texas 5, TCU 3
Game 8: OU 6, Texas Tech 3
Friday, May 27
Game 9: Oklahoma State 8, TCU 4
Game 10: Texas Tech vs. Kansas State, late
Saturday, May 28
Game 11: Texas vs. Oklahoma State, 9 a.m.
Game 12: OU vs. G10 winner, 12:30 p.m.
Game 13: G11 winner vs. G11 loser*, 4 p.m.
Game 14: G12 winner vs. G12 loser*, 4 p.m. or 7:30
Sunday, May 29
Game 15: Championship, 5 p.m.
Jacob Unruh covers college sports for The Oklahoman. You can send your story ideas to him at junruh@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @jacobunruh. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State baseball: Cowboys eliminate TCU from Big 12 tournament
