Too Much Help for the Cowboys
Seahawks struggle in sweep vs. Oklahoma State
Thanks (or no thanks) to an ongoing battle with technology, we had a little time to ruminate on the series at Oklahoma State.
Here a few days later, the big takeaway is that the Cowboys are really, really good.
Sure, we can be disappointed that UNCW couldn’t complete an awesome comeback on Saturday and we can be disappointed the Seahawks fell behind early in every game, but sometimes, you run into a better team.
It would have taken a gargantuan effort to win this series, and unfortunately, UNCW (15-12) wasn’t at it its best over the weekend as OSU (21-7-1) completed a 3-0 sweep.
Here’s what we learned from Stillwater.
Too Much Help
Unearned runs have plagued the Seahawks in recent weeks on the road, as errors in the field have been magnified with opponents taking advantage.
That wasn’t the case in this series, as UNCW allowed just three unearned runs.
Instead, OSU got the help it didn’t need in the form of walks and hit batters, with Seahawk pitchers putting 26 Cowboys on base.
And just as opponents did in those CAA road series, OSU was able to capitalize on those free passes, as 11 of those runners came around to score, accounting for more than a third of the 27 total runs scored over three games.
Turn a few of those walks into outs, and maybe Saturday’s first game is a win or Sunday’s game is within reach late.
The Big Rally
Trailing 7-1 in Saturday’s first game, the Seahawks played perhaps their best inning of the season, putting together one quality at-bat after another to sustain a five-run rally.
It didn’t take anything fancy, either.
In all, the Seahawks paired five singles with two walks to keep bringing guys to the plate and moving runners.
Good things happen when this team makes contact, puts the ball in play and lets its speed and talent take care of the rest.
It was encouraging to see that fight in the face of a massive hole, and ultimately, it got UNCW 90 feet from tying the game.
Lighting a Fire
Calls aren’t the reason UNCW lost the series, but there were quite a few close ones that went the wrong way for the Seahawks. Such is life on the road vs. a Power Five program.
With OSU jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Sunday, it felt like the Seahawks had the wind taken out of their sails before the game even started.
Maybe it was just frustration or maybe it was a motivational tactic, but UNCW coach Randy Hood had finally seen enough in the sixth inning, earning his first ejection as a head coach.
A half inning later, Chris Moore followed it up when he was tossed.
Maybe watching two coaches go to battle will serve as a jumping-off point for the Seahawks as they look to recapture some of the magic from the first month of the season.
The Big Picture
This program has never had an issue going toe-to-toe with the big boys, which makes it even more disappointing that OSU pretty well controlled every game from start to finish.
Obviously, the past month hasn’t been a ton of fun, as the Seahawks have only played their best baseball in short spurts since the win over ECU on March 17.
The frustration comes in seeing the Seahawks pitch exceptionally in one series but struggle to put up runs, only to flip it the next weekend.
When it all comes together, this can be a great team, but that just hasn’t happened as much as it should lately.
Hopefully, the trip out west shows what it takes to compete with the nation’s elite programs over the course of a weekend.
A Blueprint
O’Brate Stadium looks like a wonderful place for college baseball, and by all accounts, fans were welcomed by the OSU faithful.
The sparkling new stadium, funded by a $35 million donation, opened this season and features best-in-class amenities fit for a powerhouse program.
Obviously, UNCW doesn’t have the type of money that goes with being a Big 12 program in the middle of oil country, but it could take a page from OSU’s book in how it could design a new stadium in the (hopefully!) near future.
With just 3,500 permanent seats, O’Brate isn’t the massive park of some other Power Five programs, but features several premium seating options with suites and right-field bar to target corporate clients, rather than folks just walking up to watch a baseball game.
It really had the feel of a small minor-league park, and that’s something that should certainly appeal to the UNCW administration in a town that doesn’t have its own MiLB franchise.
Up Next
The Seahawks get a chance to work out those frustrations on Wednesday night, when Coastal Carolina visits Brooks Field for a 6 p.m. (FloSports) first pitch.
The Chanticleers (15-11) had five games postponed by COVID issues at the beginning of April, but returned to action over the weekend, going 1-2 vs. UT Arlington.