Colin Brueggeman's 'exceptional' two-homer night lifts OSU in rout of OU in Bedlam baseball opener
NORMAN — Colin Brueggeman’s knowledge of Bedlam was basically non-existent when he arrived in Stillwater last August.
The 6-foot-6 sophomore grew up in Smithton, Illinois, a village of nearly 4,000 people. Then he played at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas.
Neither are a hotbed for the Oklahoma and Oklahoma State rivalry.
“I never really caught it too much,” Brueggeman said.
Now, he has his own place in Bedlam lore.
The Cowboys’ smooth-swinging left-hander has a trio of home runs in two games against the Sooners this season.
"I'm glad it all worked out like that," he said.
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The latest: A two-homer night that included a grand slam to propel No. 22-ranked OSU’s offensive barrage in a 13-2 win over OU to open the Big 12 series in L. Dale Mitchell Park.
“Colin, I thought was exceptional,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said. “I thought he was very calm, very poised in his at-bats.”
OSU (36-15, 14-8) has won three straight games — all in conference play — and sits just one game from first place behind West Virginia in the standings with two regular season games remaining. West Virginia lost 12-2 at Texas.
The Sooners (29-23, 10-12) have lost three of their past four Big 12 games. They out-hit OSU 12-10 but six pitchers combined to walk nine batters and hit five more. The defense also committed two errors.
“You lose the momentum when you give free bases and you don’t play defense,” OU coach Skip Johnson said. “That’s basically how you lose the momentum in the game and all of a sudden it spins out of control.”
In two meetings in the past month, OSU has outscored OU 32-10.
The Cowboys could not have drawn Thursday night up any better.
They opted to start two-way star Nolan McLean on the mound, allowing ace Juaron Watts-Brown to pitch Friday on normal rest. Making just his second appearance since March 24 and first career start, McLean allowed one run in three innings while striking out five and walking four.
He escaped a based-loaded jam twice, getting a boost from a nifty Marcus Brown diving grab and off-balance throw on a grounder in the third.
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OSU’s bullpen — primarily Evan O’Toole, who threw five shut-out innings — shut the door from there.
The Cowboys’ offense certainly did its part, though.
OSU scored seven runs in the first three innings on just three hits while drawing three walks and being hit by three pitches by Sooners right-hander Braxton Douthit.
Freshman Nolan Schubart started the scoring with an RBI groundout in the first. Second baseman Roc Riggio drove in two in the third with a two-strike, two-out single to left.
Then Brueggeman lofted a pitch over the right-field wall with the bases loaded in the third.
“I just got my barrel out there and it kept going,” Brueggemann said.
OU scored in the third on a bases-loaded walk by catcher Easton Carmichael. But OSU’s offense resoundingly responded.
Chase Adkison singled in a run, Carson Benge scored on a wild pitch and then Tyler Wulfert scorched a no-doubt, two-run homer to left.
Brueggman later added his solo homer to left in the sixth, giving him six long balls this spring. He finished the night 2 for 4 with five RBIs and a walk. He also reached on an error in the third.
It was another big night for Brueggeman.
A year ago, he underwent shoulder surgery. He was slow to recover. But he’s fully healthy now, adding even more depth to a dangerous Cowboys lineup.
He’s up to 36 RBIs and 33 hits in 35 games. Sixteen of those hits went for extra-bases.
“From the time he broke into the lineup and got some key looks, he’s been really, really good,” Holliday said. “It’s just a kid that he’s done an awfully good job. His efficiency with per plate appearance with RBIs and extra-base hits and quality at-bats is way up there.”
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSU Cowboys cruise past OU Sooners in Game 1 of Bedlam baseball series
