Cowboy Baseball Falls To Vanderbilt 11-9

Oklahoma State's late comeback bid fell short Saturday in the College Baseball Showdown as No. 6 Vanderbilt topped the eighth-ranked Cowboys, 11-9, at Globe Life Field.

The Pokes plated six runs in the eighth and twice brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the inning but fell to 1-1 with the loss.

Nolan McLean led the Cowboys with three RBIs on the day, while freshman Beau Sylvester went 2-for-4 with a home run and double in his collegiate debut.

Isaac Stebens was also strong in his first appearance as the right-hander from Stillwater worked four shutout innings and allowed just two hits while picking up a pair of strikeouts.

OSU took the game's initial lead in the first inning on a two-out RBI double by David Mendham, but the Commodores answered with a pair of runs off Cowboy freshman Brennan Phillips in the bottom of the frame.

Vandy rallied for seven runs off Phillips in the second inning to take control of the scoreboard as the 'Dores sent 12 batters to the plate and collected six hits against the southpaw.

OSU added a run in the fourth on Sylvester's solo home run, an opposite-field shot to right, but Vandy again answered in the bottom of the inning with two runs.

The Cowboys trailed 11-3 after seven before the big rally in the eighth. Sylvester got things going with a one-out double, and Chase Adkison followed with a double to plate the first run. An RBI single by Roc Riggio made the score 11-5 before McLean stepped to the plate and smashed a no-doubt, three-run homer to right-center field.

OSU scored again on a throwing error later in the inning and had runners on first and third with one out before a pair of strikeouts ended their rally.

In the ninth, the Cowboys went down in order to fall two runs short.

The Cowboys conclude play in the season-opening tourney Sunday against No. 4 Arkansas. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.