The Daily O’Collegian

Oklahoma State students not looking forward to finals week aren’t alone in their dread.

Coach Frank Anderson said the week off comes at a poor time, interrupting the baseball team’s hot streak.

The Cowboys won their ninth straight game Sunday, beating Kansas 8-3 to finish off a weekend series sweep.

Oklahoma State (31-11, 13-7 Big 12) has the week off from games to focus on finals before hosting a four-game series with Utah Valley starting Friday.

“Right now, I wish we were playing about two more games this week, and then getting ready for the weekend,” Anderson said. “We’ve played at a pretty high level, and you hate to quit playing now. But that’s not the case; they got to get ready for finals.

“That’s the No. 1 priority, and we’ll see what their finals schedules are. They’re pretty much on their own until Friday.”

Pitcher Robbie Weinhardt said the series sweep of the Jayhawks (25-21, 5-12) was a big one for the Cowboys.

“It was just important to win this one,” Weinhardt said. “You lose this game, it could hurt you later in seeding for the Big 12 Tournament. We took care of business, and if we take care of business, it’ll work out for us in the end.”

Left fielder Neil Medchill led the Cowboys offensively Sunday, leading off the sixth with a solo home run to tie the game at 3, starting a four-run inning that would put OSU on top for good.

Anderson was pleased with Medchill, who homered in his second straight game after taking Paul Smyth deep Saturday in a 10-3 OSU victory. The Cowboys won 6-1 on Friday.

“He squared up two balls; it’s good to see him go like that,” Anderson said. “I don’t think he’s a huge power hitter, but if you square up enough, especially in this yard, you can get it to leave here. He’s a good gap-to-gap hitter who occasionally will hit the ball out.”

Medchill was also involved in Sunday’s most bizarre play.

Medchill singled in the bottom of the seventh. Two batters later, Cowboy second baseman Thomas Belza hit a grounder to second baseman Robby Price. Right after Price fielded the ball, Medchill collided with him, knocking the ball loose and allowing Medchill and Belza to reach safely.

Initially, Medchill was called out for interference. Anderson argued the call, and after a lengthy discussion among the umpires, Medchill was ruled safe.

“If you interfere with the act of fielding the ball, then you’re out,” Anderson said. “But [Price] had already fielded the ball and had it cleanly, and then the contact was made in the baseline. So then he’s safe.”

KU right fielder Ryne Price argued the revised call from the outfield and was ejected. His father, Jayhawk coach Ritch Price, grabbed him by the neck as the two walked off the field.

Pitcher Matt Gardner started for the Cowboys and gave up three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He loaded the bases in the fifth and gave up a two-run hit before Anderson replaced him with Weinhardt.

“I was hoping to get Matt four or five innings,” Anderson said. “He ran out of a little bit of gas; I probably should have got him out of there and got Robbie in there. He did kind of what we wanted on a Sunday. He didn’t go out there and give up a huge number.”

Weinhardt went the next 3 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and no runs while striking out seven and picking up the win.

“He’s got a good arm,” Anderson said. “He’s gonna do that; he should do that, especially when he’s pounding the strike zone. It was good to see him come in and do that, especially when they got a little bit of momentum coming back there.”

Jordy Mercer struck out two in the ninth in closing the game for the Cowboys, giving OSU pitchers 12 strikeouts.

“We always just try to come out there and give our hitters a chance, put some zeroes on the board, help us win,” Weinhardt said. “That’s the most important thing we did today, so that’s what good pitchers do.”

Although Anderson said he was worried the week off might hurt the Cowboys’ streak, Weinhardt said it could do the team good.

“Actually, I think we might gain some momentum,“ Weinhardt said. “It doesn’t sound like we should gain momentum, but I think everyone’s bodies are kinda hurting right now. We’ll get a little rest, a little time off.”