Texas Longhorns snap series-opening skid with dramatic win over No. 14 Oklahoma State

For the first time in a while, Friday was fantastic instead of forgettable for the Texas baseball team.

Lifted by a sprint and a pair of strikeouts, Texas recorded a 7-5 win over No. 14 Oklahoma State at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday night. The victory was UT's first in a series opener since March 8. The Longhorns had started their previous seven series by falling in a hole.

Texas (29-18, 14-8) and Oklahoma State (31-15, 14-8) are now tied for third place in the Big 12 standings.

"Friday Night Baseball is back. That was awesome," Texas coach David Pierce said.

With the score tied, the bases loaded and one out in Friday's seventh inning, Kimble Schuessler lifted a pitch from Oklahoma State reliever Robert Cranz into right field. The baseball traveled far enough for Texas to feel comfortable with sending Powell from third base. After tagging, Powell sprinted home and slid across the plate a fraction before catcher Ian Daugherty could apply the tag.

After a review, the safe call was confirmed, and Texas held a 6-5 lead.

"He was kind of shallow in right field, but we needed to run, so it was going to be a bang-bang play regardless," Powell said. "Luckily, I was in there right before he got there."

Powell's 90-foot dash occurred around the same time the state track and field meet was wrapping up across the highway at Myers Stadium. With that in mind, was Powell ever a track star at Robinson High?

"I did track in junior high and high school, but it wasn't real competitive,'' Powell said.

Texas had trailed by one run at the seventh-inning stretch, but pinch hitter Porter Brown was hit by a pitch after UT loaded the bases, and Schuessler's sacrifice fly then broke the tie. Freshman Will Gasparino, whose father is in the Oklahoma State baseball team's hall of fame, gave UT some insurance in the eighth inning with a solo homer.

In the ninth inning, Oklahoma State got two runners aboard with one out. But Gage Boehm struck out Nolan Schubart and Aidan Meola to end the game.

Those strikeouts closed out a 2 2/3-inning relief appearance for Boehm, who also struck out Schubart with two runners on base in the seventh inning. Schubart, who hit a school-record four homers in a Tuesday thrashing of Wichita State, had crushed a two-run shot over the batter's eye in center field during the third inning Friday.

"It was really the same thing I've been doing, just competing and making pitches," Boehm said. "It ended up working out."

Texas and Oklahoma State will resume their series at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. This conference competition will feature a showdown on the mound between Texas left-hander Ace Whitehead (4-0, 3.88) and Oklahoma State's Brian Holiday (4-3, 3.79).