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Three Cowboys to Watch in NCAA Athens Regional

A few Cowboys are looking to make a big impact.
Taylor Skieens|
Oklahoma State's Nolan Schubart (10) hits a single in the first inning during the college baseball game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys and the UT Arlington at O'Brate Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Sunday, Feb., 23, 2025.
Oklahoma State's Nolan Schubart (10) hits a single in the first inning during the college baseball game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys and the UT Arlington at O'Brate Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Sunday, Feb., 23, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oklahoma State Cowboys' fate was in the hands of the selection committee on Monday, and they managed to sneak into the postseason following a 28-23 overall season finish. The Pokes shouldn't be judged by their record this season and may stand a chance to shake things up in the tournament.

In their final 12 games of the season, the Cowboys were an impressive 10-2 and showed that they could play with the best of them. The big question for Oklahoma State heading into the postseason remains the same. Which Cowboy baseball team is going to show up in Athens?

O-State has the potential to be a tough 3 seed in the Athens Regional as they take on Duke in the first game of the series. They will need the following three players to have a solid series if the Pokes wish to move on to a Super Regional.

Junior LHP Harrison Bodendorf

Bodendorf has emerged as the early favorite to start game one against Duke on Friday, and for good reason. He has an impressive 10-1 record on the season with his lone loss coming at the hands of Kansas in March. He has struck out 100 batters this season in only 87.2 innings of work. Anytime Bodendorf steps on the mound, the Cowboys are a legitimate threat to win the baseball game.

Junior INF Nolan Schubart

The hard-hitting Schubart needs to have a monster series at the plate for the Pokes. He finished the regular season with a .285 batting average to go along with 54 RBIs. He really found his power at the plate in the second half of the season for the Cowboys. He uncorked 11 of his 17 home runs in the second half of the season. Schubart is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak, including five long balls and nine runs batted in during the stretch.

Junior INF/OF Brayden Smith

Smith has been a hit machine all season long for Oklahoma State. He strung together a near 20-game hitting streak earlier in the season and is currently on a six-game hitting streak heading into the postseason. Smith is hitting .312 on the season, where he has hit 11 home runs to go along with 38 RBIs. Smith has been just as impressive in the field. He boasts a .977 fielding percentage and only has four errors on the year.

Published
Taylor Skieens
TAYLOR SKIEENS

Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.

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