'Get something out of it': Five things to watch as Oklahoma State hits home stretch of baseball season
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State baseball coach Josh Holliday has a white dry-erase board in his office that features a hand-written schedule.
It’s a schedule he built for the Cowboys. He knows it inside and out.
So, he knows what’s coming.
“I’ve done a lot of planning,” Holliday said. “But I also know that the only way you navigate each day is you just to try to get something out of it.”
As the seventh-ranked Cowboys prepare for the final four weeks of the regular season, the pressure is on.
No. 6 Texas and No. 13 Texas Tech await over the next three weeks — beginning Friday with a three-game series in Austin against the Longhorns — as OSU works to solidify itself as a true College World Series contender.
OSU is 28-13 overall after Tuesday’s win at Wichita State and sit in second place in the Big 12 standings at 10-5.
Here is a look at five key things to watch in the next four weeks:
Big stretch
The importance of the upcoming series against Texas and Texas Tech (in two weeks) cannot be stressed enough.
They are huge — especially after dropping last weekend’s series to red-hot TCU.
OSU fell from the projected fourth seed to the No. 15 or No. 16 seed overall in D1Baseball.com's and Baseball America's tournament projections. With such a tumble, the Cowboys would host a regional but not a super regional. If they fell to No. 16, they would also likely line up with a super regional at No. 1-ranked Tennessee.
More wins in the next two weeks make the path to Omaha more favorable.
“This stretch, it’s going to be lot of fun,” OSU veteran Jake Thompson said. “We can’t give them anything and we gotta make sure we keep going because these are talented teams we’re going to be playing.
“We can’t really think about yesterday. We just gotta get ready for the next day.”
More: How Oklahoma State pitcher Victor Mederos and his family defected from Cuba to obtain better life
Pitching depth against loaded lineups
Led by ace Justin Campbell, OSU’s pitching staff has been dominant.
But against the top-two hitting teams in the conference, it’ll be challenged. Texas is one of the top-hitting teams in the country. Texas Tech isn’t far behind.
OSU got beat behind the long ball against TCU, which homered seven times over three games.
Still, the Cowboys have a strong weekend rotation with Campbell — the Big 12’s strikeout leader and back-to-back pitcher of the week — hard-throwing Victor Mederos and Bryce Osmond, who has turned heads the past month.
Throw in the powerful bullpen arms and length from veterans like Mitchell Stone and Kale Davis, and the Cowboys can shut down any lineup.
More: Here is the 2022 Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball roster breakdown and schedule
Bullpen roles
OSU right-hander Trevor Martin was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award Midseason Watch List on Wednesday. He’s recorded nine saves.
But his role has been changing the past few weeks.
He’s started two games. He’s come in for longer spells than just the ninth inning, throwing 50-60 pitches.
Two weeks ago, he started as a chance to reset after two blown saves. It’s expanded his array of pitches and led to great results.
“That’s important to his arsenal so he can get righties and lefties out but also his development,” Holliday said. “So, he’s got more and more confidence that he can go to his pitches.”
That’s also shifted some responsibilities.
Roman Phansalkar remains a crucial late-inning option. Two-way players Nolan McLean and Hueston Morrill have also become valuable. Bayden Root has also come on strong.
But McLean might be the key.
The former quarterback hit 100 mph on the mound last week and has become another option to close games.
With McLean and Martin, the Cowboys’ bullpen depth is better than ever.
More: How OSU reliever Roman Phansalkar 'put himself in a different category' after Tommy John surgery
Star power
Speaking of McLean, the Cowboys’ most feared hitter is starting to look more comfortable at the plate following a poor start to the season.
He’s hit safely in the 19 of the past 22 games.
And OSU needs that.
The stars performing will be huge in the next month.
McLean has great power. He can change the game with one swing. So can big Griffin Doersching. The graduate transfer has been hitting long home runs since he returned from a foot injury.
Marcus Brown has been on a tear with a 13-game hitting streak.
And Thompson remains the most consistent hitter.
He went 3-for-5 Tuesday at Wichita State, raising his team-leading average to .333. The smooth-swinging left-hander is an on-base machine, reaching in 52 of OSU’s last 57 games.
Health of Riggio
Freshman second baseman Roc Riggio — the Cowboys’ tone setter — has missed the majority of the past eight games after suffering an injury from a pitch that hit his hand.
And it’s been a tough blow.
Riggio was catching fire at the plate. His energy was infectious.
Throughout the past week, fellow freshman Cayden Brumbaugh has had some big moments in Riggio’s absence. Morrill has filled in at second base well, too.
But the swagger Riggio brings can change things in a special way. Getting him back sooner than later for the final stretch will be crucial.
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.
No. 7 OSU at No. 6 Texas
Three-game series in Austin, Texas
Game 1: 6:30 p.m. Friday (LHN)
Game 2: 2:30 p.m. Saturday (LHN)
Game 3: 1 p.m. Sunday (LHN)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What to watch as Oklahoma State hits home stretch of baseball season
