Preview: Missouri State Bears at Oklahoma State Cowboys

STILLWATER, Okla. (Interstat) — Two teams riding winning streaks will meet Tuesday when the Missouri State Bears visit the Oklahoma State Cowboys in nonconference baseball action at O’Brate Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. under cloudy skies with a temperature near 64 degrees.

The Bears (7-4) have won four straight, including a three-game weekend sweep of Arkansas-Little Rock. Missouri State outscored the Trojans 24-14 in the series, capped by a 9-4 victory Saturday. Designated hitter Curry Sutherland powered that win, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs.

Missouri State will look to right-hander Owen Slater (1-1, 2.25 ERA) to continue its momentum. Slater was dominant in his last start, allowing two earned runs on five hits over seven innings in Saturday’s win. In his previous outing on Feb. 22, he held a powerful Mississippi lineup hitless over four innings but took a hard-luck loss.

The Cowboys (8-3) have been even hotter, winning seven consecutive games. They are coming off a weekend sweep of Sam Houston, which included a pair of shutouts. Oklahoma State won 1-0 on Sunday behind a stellar combined pitching effort.

Right-hander Mario Pesca (2-0, 5.40 ERA) is expected to start for the Cowboys. Pesca was brilliant in his last appearance, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in Sunday’s 1-0 victory. He has not allowed a hit over his last seven innings of work out of the bullpen and as a starter.

Oklahoma State’s offense erupted for 20 runs in Saturday’s win over Sam Houston, showcasing a potent lineup that has averaged over eight runs per game during the win streak.

The neutral-site game in Stillwater features two programs building regional résumés early in the season. According to Interstat’s game simulator, the Cowboys are projected to edge the Bears 7-6.

Following Tuesday’s contest, Missouri State returns home to host Memphis for a three-game series beginning Friday. Oklahoma State remains at O’Brate Stadium to open a three-game set with Gardner-Webb on Friday.