STILLWATER, Okla. (Interstat) — Ethan Lund struck out 12 over six dominant innings and the Oklahoma State Cowboys rebounded from a stunning loss to defeat the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs 4-2 in a nonconference baseball game Saturday at O’Brate Stadium.

A day after being routed 19-5 by the visitors, the Cowboys leaned on their ace to even the series. Lund allowed two earned runs on five hits and walked none, overpowering the Gardner-Webb lineup to improve his team’s record to 10-4. Gardner-Webb fell to 10-5.

The most important part of the game came in the bottom of the seventh inning, which provided the decisive insurance run. After Gardner-Webb reliever Josh Gentile walked Carson Conover and Kollin Ritchie with two outs, Nicholas Blaszczak entered and gave up a sharp single to left field by Nolan Meola. The hit scored Conover, extending Oklahoma State’s lead to 4-2 and shifting momentum firmly to the home side after the Runnin’ Bulldogs had threatened earlier.

Oklahoma State never trailed, answering an early Gardner-Webb rally. The Cowboys took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Kade Smithwick that scored Jaxson Thompson. Gardner-Webb responded in the top of the fifth, tying the game at 2-2. Back-to-back singles by Bo Thompson and Alec Ector set the table for Allan Camarillo, who delivered an RBI single. Matt Ilgenfritz followed with an infield single to plate Ector and tie the score.

The tie was short-lived. In the bottom of the fourth, TP Wentworth led off with an infield single, advanced to third on a balk and a wild pitch, and scored when Conover stole second and the throw from Gardner-Webb catcher Bo Thompson sailed into center field, giving Oklahoma State a 3-2 lead it would not relinquish.

Wentworth also provided a key solo home run, his first of the season, in the second inning.

After Lund departed, the Oklahoma State bullpen sealed the win. Stormy Rhodes pitched two perfect innings of relief, striking out two. Noah Wech allowed a leadoff double in the ninth but retired the next three batters to end the game.

Gardner-Webb starter Matthew Stuart was effective despite control issues, pitching four innings of no-hit ball. He walked four and allowed two earned runs, striking out two. The Runnin’ Bulldogs’ offense, however, was stifled after the fifth, managing just one hit over the final four innings against Lund, Rhodes and Wech.

The victory was a corrective measure for an Oklahoma State team that had been humbled 24 hours prior. Lund’s performance, following up on a 14-strikeout outing the previous weekend, provided the necessary stability. The Cowboys’ eight hits were timely, and they took advantage of two Gardner-Webb errors and several wild pitches.

The series concludes Sunday afternoon at O’Brate Stadium.