Oklahoma State baseball's Colin Brueggemann, Brian Holiday shine, but Cowboys inconsistent

STILLWATER — The Oklahoma State baseball team bookended its week with a pair of offensive eruptions, but suffered two losses in between to open Big 12 play.

The Cowboys totaled 30 runs in their two victories, including a rout of OU in the season’s nonconference edition of Bedlam.

But overall, inconsistency was the theme of the week as the Cowboys dive deeper into conference action.

Here’s a look at what we learned about OSU last week:

More: OSU baseball coach Josh Holliday says Bedlam vs. OU will continue 'for years to come'

Oklahoma State

• Overall record: 12-8 (1-2 Big 12)

• Last week: 2-2 (Beat OU 14-5, lost to UCF 13-2 and 4-3, beat UCF 16-10)

• This week: vs. Missouri State, 6 p.m. Tuesday; vs TCU (6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday)

Big finale in Florida

After getting held to just five runs over the first two games at Central Florida, OSU found its offense quickly on Sunday, scoring seven runs in the second inning. Five of the runs came on homers by Jaxson Crull and Aidan Meola.

It was the second straight game with a home run for Meola, who drove in five runs. His return from a brief injury two weeks ago has opened up some flexibility in the middle of the infield for coach Josh Holliday.

Meola has split time between designated hitter and second base, while Lane Forsythe — who also missed games with a recent injury — and freshman Avery Ortiz have seen action at shortstop and second base.

All three are batting .320 or better and they’ve combined for six home runs and 35 RBIs.

Bedlam Brueggemann

OSU first baseman Colin Brueggemann played a big part in Sunday’s 16-run outburst, going 3 for 5 with four RBIs. And he added the exclamation point in the Bedlam victory with a massive solo home run over the 410-foot sign in left-center field at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

Brueggemann’s Bedlam bomb should not surprise anyone, however. The junior from Smithton, Illinois, had four hits in his first four Bedlam games last year, and three went for home runs.

Now through five career Bedlams, he is 5 for 16 with four home runs, six runs scored and seven RBIs.

More: Get to know the 2024 OSU Cowboys roster, schedule

Brian Holiday strong again

With the start of Big 12 play, consistency from starting pitchers will be critical, and the Cowboys have identified the anchor of the weekend rotation.

Brian Holiday turned in yet another strong effort, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk over eight innings.

He left the game with the Cowboys leading 3-2, though UCF tied the game with a solo home run off OSU reliever Gabe Davis. UCF then took advantage of Davis’ command struggles by drawing a pair of walks before Davis hit a batter with the bases loaded to bring in the winning run.

Through his five starts, Holiday has a 1.83 ERA with 37 strikeouts and eight walks over 34 ⅓ innings pitched. Opponents are batting just .178 against him.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State baseball's inconsistency interrupted a strong week