AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (Interstat) — Aidan Meola’s three-run homer capped a four-run third inning that erased an early deficit and propelled Oklahoma State to a 10-4 victory over Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon at O’Brate Stadium, completing a three-game Big 12 conference sweep.

The Cowboys (21-11, 6-3 Big 12) overcame a sluggish start and three double plays to overpower the Bearcats (21-13, 4-8) with a balanced offensive attack and a dominant relief performance from Jake Kennedy.

Cincinnati struck first in the third inning when Lauden Brooks homered to right-center off Oklahoma State starter Bryce LeBlanc. That 1-0 lead was short-lived, as the Cowboys responded immediately in the bottom half of the frame.

Oklahoma State’s rally began with a single by Kollin Ritchie and a stolen base. Carson Benge drove him in with a single to tie the game. After a Nolan Schubart walk, Meola stepped to the plate and launched a 1-1 pitch over the left-field wall for his ninth home run of the season, giving the Cowboys a 4-1 lead they would not relinquish.

Kennedy, named the top star of the game, entered with one out in the third and stifled the Bearcats’ offense. He fired four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out five. His outing stabilized the game after LeBlanc struggled, earning his third win of the season.

The Cowboys extended their lead in the fourth. An RBI infield single by Ian Daugherty scored one, and in the sixth, they broke the game open with four more runs, aided by a Cincinnati error. Colin Brueggemann drove in a run with a groundout, and T.P. Wentworth followed with a two-run homer to right, his eighth of the year, making it 10-1.

Cincinnati’s offense, held to seven hits, mounted a brief rally in the eighth, scoring three unearned runs following a throwing error by Meola at third base. Tommy O’Connor tripled in one run, and an RBI groundout by Josh Hegemann and a run-scoring single by Max Hartley accounted for the final margin. The Bearcats left the bases loaded in the inning, however, squandering a chance to draw closer.

Oklahoma State relievers Drew Blake and Noah Wech closed out the final 2 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run, combining for four strikeouts. Cincinnati pitchers Alex Gonzalez and Dominic Mauro each provided scoreless relief outings, but the early damage proved too great to overcome.

The most critical sequence of the game was the bottom of the third inning. After Cincinnati took its early lead, Oklahoma State’s immediate answer, punctuated by Meola’s go-ahead blast, shifted all momentum to the home side. Kennedy’s subsequent shutdown relief effort ensured the Bearcats never threatened to reclaim control.

The Cowboys’ 10-hit attack included two hits each from Ritchie and Daugherty. Cincinnati’s Brooks and Hartley each had two of the Bearcats’ seven hits.

Oklahoma State next hosts Oral Roberts on Tuesday before a Big 12 road series at Kansas State. Cincinnati returns home to begin a conference series against Baylor on Friday.