AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of expectations, the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs delivered a historic offensive onslaught Friday, routing the Oklahoma State Cowboys 19-5 at O’Brate Stadium.

The game, part of the Air Force Academy tournament, was projected to be a comfortable win for the Cowboys, with national statistical models giving Oklahoma State an 87.6% probability of victory and predicting a 7-6 final score. Instead, Gardner-Webb dismantled those projections with a 19-hit barrage, handing the Cowboys one of their most lopsided losses in recent memory.

The most important part of the game was Gardner-Webb’s relentless and explosive response after Oklahoma State briefly seized momentum. After the Cowboys’ Kade Thompson drove in two runs with a single and a subsequent error in the bottom of the second inning, cutting the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ early lead to 3-2, Gardner-Webb’s offense shifted into a gear Oklahoma State could not match.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs immediately answered in the top of the third, plating two runs to extend their lead. Then, they broke the game wide open with two massive innings. In the fourth, Merik Carter and Kelvin Agosto launched back-to-back home runs, with Agosto’s two-run shot making it 8-3. The knockout blow came in the fifth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Agosto crushed a grand slam to left-center field, his second homer of the game, turning an 8-3 contest into a 12-3 rout and silencing the home crowd.

Agosto was the undisputed star, finishing 3 for 5 with two home runs, a double, and a career-high seven RBIs. His performance highlighted a dominant day for the heart of the Gardner-Webb order. Third baseman Matt Ilgenfritz went 5 for 6 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and four runs scored. Second baseman Ryan Kennell added three hits, including a double, and three RBIs, while Carter had three hits, a homer, and three RBIs.

The offensive support was more than enough for Gardner-Webb starter Oliver Ellison and reliever Jerek Hobb. Ellison earned the win, pitching five innings and allowing three runs, only one earned, on four hits while striking out four. Hobb provided two strong innings of relief, allowing one unearned run and striking out four.

Oklahoma State, which entered the game with a 9-3 record, used seven pitchers who combined to issue eight walks and hit three batters. Starter Hudson Barrett lasted just 1 2/3 innings. Colin Brueggemann provided one of the few bright spots for the Cowboys, going 2 for 4 with an RBI triple.

Gardner-Webb improved to 10-4 with the victory, bouncing back emphatically from a 15-3 loss at Duke earlier in the week. Oklahoma State fell to 9-4. The two teams are scheduled to meet again Saturday and Sunday to complete the series.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs will continue their road trip with a game at Davidson on Tuesday before opening Big South Conference play at home against Longwood next weekend. The Cowboys will host Dallas Baptist on Tuesday before opening Big 12 Conference play on the road at UCF next Friday.