Pokes Rebound at GCU with Big Day for Garcia

Alix Garcia got his bat booming and the Cowboys came back to take two in the series with Grand Canyon University.

(This story originated with Oklahoma State University athletic media relations and was written by Wade McWhorter.)

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Oklahoma State picked up its first win of the 2020 season Saturday as the 16-ranked Cowboys knocked off Grand Canyon, 6-4, at GCU Ballpark.

The Cowboys used a pair of three-run innings to claim the victory and set up a series rubber game scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. (CST).

Cowboys Win! #okstate gets first victory of 2020 to set up a Sunday rubber game in Phoenix #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/lQWcDwQEUZ

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) February 15, 2020

Alix Garcia led the way for OSU offensively, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, while was 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs. and also had two hits each for the Pokes.

Southpaw recorded the win on the mound as the junior worked six innings and allowed two runs, just one of them earned, while striking out four. He did not issue a walk and surrendered seven hits.

GCU took the game's initial lead in its first at bat on a single by Dominic Grissom, one of three hits in the frame for the Lopes, but Scott stranded a pair of runners on base and limited the damage to one run.

The Cowboys took the lead for good with the first of their three-run rallies in the fourth. led off the inning with a double, and an RBI single by Polcovich tied the score at 1-1. Up next, Garcia crushed OSU's first homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field to make the score 3-1.

The home team plated an unearned run in the fifth to cut the OSU lead to one, but the Cowboys added some critical insurance runs in the eighth.

All three runs came with two outs as Polcovich brought home Sifrit with a single before a single by Garcia and a throwing error plated Polcovich to extend the OSU lead to 5-2. Thompson then followed with another RBI single as the Cowboys' advantage reached four.

Those runs proved crucial late. After came on in relief of Scott in the seventh and worked two scoreless innings, the Lopes got to in the ninth.

After issuing a leadoff walk, Leeper struck out the next two batters. But another walk and a single loaded the bases, and Drew Smith delivered a two-RBI single to make the score 6-4 with runners on the corners.

Leeper put an end to the threat however by striking out Grissom to end the game.