Often ‘under the radar,’ OSU pitcher Bogusz always stays prepared

“I just knew that everybody in the dugout, on the field, they were all behind me,” he said. “I just wanted to deliver for my team and for my teammates.” of his redshirt sophomore season, being heavily utilized out of the bullpen. He had high hopes for the 2023 season until shoulder surgery last fall kickstarted a lengthy recovery process. It was frustrating.

He isn’t known for being the liveliest teammate. His father, Scott, can attest.

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“That’s the pitcherversus-hitter battle element of the game is one of the best facets of the game,” Holliday said. “That’s their offensive philosophy and they’re good at it. They stuck to it, played it well.”

OSU starting pitcher Carson Benge -- responsible for a team-high 2 1/3 innings -allowed a season-high seven earned runs. It was an atypical performance for the redshirt freshman, who hadn’t exceeded five earned runs in his last five outings.

Two leadoff walks – both of which were extended to full counts – set up OU star shortstop Dakota Harris for a two-RBI single up the middle, giving the Sooners a lead they wouldn’t give back.

“That was huge,” Johnson said. “It busted the bubble a little bit. We’ve talked about making sure we’re aware of where we are present and he (understood the situation). Him coming out and getting a hit in the first inning was big.” a deep flyout to the warning track by catcher Chase Adkison ended an opportunity to trim OU’s lead to two runs or less, and the Cowboys never garnered any offensive fluency after. The OSU bullpen displayed good moments, surrendering just two runs – both coming in the top of the seventh – through the ensuing 6 2/3 innings following Benge’s departure. But it wasn’t enough. OU junior southpaw reliever Carter Campbell pitched 4 innings, striking out two batters and surrendering just one run, which came in the bottom of the ninth. With the loss, OSU will face thirdseeded West Virginia – who the Cowboys lost a series to in April – on Thursday. With OSU’s RPI intact at No. 24 nationally, even after the loss, its chances of hosting a regional are on edge. All OSU can do now is win some games, and most importantly, not lose Thursday.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Ryan Bogusz was in a challenging situation.

Not only because Texas had runners on first and second base with no outs at last year’s Big 12 Tournament, but because Bogusz was on the mound in the first inning rather than later innings as a relief option for OSU.

It was new, but he had to adapt, with his team – short on available arms – on the verge of elimination. He did just that, retiring the ensuing three batters and escaping the early jam. As he trotted off the mound, his facial expression was stone-cold, as it often is, even after a big moment.

Bogusz hasn’t always been a primary bullpen option for the Cowboys. But he hasn’t faltered. He has grit, and he lets it and his high-octane work ethic carry him, wherever he’s needed. As OSU heads to Arlington for the Big 12 Tournament, he could be asked to do it again.

The Cowboys’ hopes of a title remained alive that day, largely due to the eight-inning heroics Bogusz displayed in a career outing. After the win, his response was simple.

“To be honest, he can be kind of a boring guy outside of baseball,” Scott said. “He’s a great kid and has a good heart but, honestly, there’s not much outside of baseball.”

Not everything has come naturally for Ryan. At Lone Star High School, he was considered a “glue guy” by coach Joey Franke.

Even with an 11-0 record, 0.79 ERA and 145 strikeouts with the Rangers, he watched as his teammates garnered offers from Big 12 schools. Ryan received offers from smaller schools, such as UT-Arlington, Abilene Christian and UTSA.

He could have gone to one of those and attained immediate playing time, but he wanted more.

Late in his senior season, Ryan heard from OSU. He didn’t hesitate to commit and sign his national letter of intent when he received an official offer. He gambled, and it paid off.

“I think he’s just super determined,” said his mother, Barbra. “He’s really that way in everything he does. Literally, everything. He’s always been that under-the-radar guy who has proven everyone wrong in the end.”

Ryan held a sub-2.0 ERA for most

“It hurt me not seeing him out there because I know he wants to be,” Scott said. “But I know once he gets another opportunity, he’ll make the most of it as he always does.”

In nine appearances this season, three of which were for at least three innings, Ryan has shown flashes of being the pitcher he was in Arlington last May. He owns a 2.60 ERA across 17 1/3 innings.

On Wednesday at 4 p.m., No. 18 OSU is back at the Big 12 Tournament against Oklahoma. OSU coach Josh Holliday admitted Ryan isn’t where he was a year ago; however, he noted Ryan is available. Could another opportunity present itself?

“A lot of the time, (Ryan) and I wonder the what-ifs,” Scott said. “What if he would have gone to UT-Arlington? What if he had gone to Abilene Christian? What if he would have gone to Sam Houston State and had the opportunity to be a starter? We’ll never know. But he stuck to his gut, went to Oklahoma State, and it’s paid off.

“He’s never been a sexy option, but he’s been a feasible one and a good one, and his grit is one of, if not his best attribute.”

OU plated all seven of Benge’s earned runs through the first three innings to take a 7-0 lead.

The Cowboys (37-17, 15-9) attained their best opportunity for a rally in the bottom of the third with three consecutive oneout base hits, highlighted by an RBI double from center fielder Zach Ehrhard. OSU plated two more that half inning with a two-out, two-RBI single from Benge, who also played the designated hitter role.

However,

“We’ve had our fair share of victories and we know how to respond to a defeat,” Holliday said. “That’s the game of (baseball). That’s how the big boys do it. You’ve got to be able to rest quickly and have a good, short memory of processing this game and then move on.

“We’ll show up in the right head space tomorrow for the second round of the (Big 12) Tournament.”

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It was there, in the Purdue locker room, that Becker started asking Sprang questions about OSU and the transfer portal. Becker didn’t know collegiate softball outside of West Lafayette, Indiana, but Sprang did.

“She kind of just gave me more inside information,” Becker said. “It’s easy for somebody on the team that’s been there to be like, ‘You’ll fit in right away; it’ll be great; the team will welcome you,’ because they haven’t actually done it themselves. But when you’re actually talking to somebody who’s kinda taken a leap of faith and left their school to go to a new one, I feel like they actually understand.”

Sprang had nothing but positive things to say about Gajewski’s program and her time in Stillwater. This prompted Becker to reach out to Gajewski, who expressed his interest right away, which led to them having conversations right after the Cowgirls postseason was finished.

Gajewski knew Becker would fit as a Cowgirl, there was no doubt. He also knew she’d shine in the biggest moments, much like her go-ahead hit in the seventh inning against Nebraska last weekend in the Stillwater Regional.