It was a rough afternoon for the Cyclone baseball team as it dropped a doubleheader to Oklahoma State Tuesday at Cap Timm Field, 11-1 and 8-4.

“They beat us up offensively,” Head Coach Lyle Smith said. “We had the opportunity to get a couple offensive jump starts, but we faced some really tough pitchers. When you play the second-rated team in the conference, you’re going to get burned.”

Four ISU pitchers tried to stifle the Cowboys in the first game, but OSU tallied 11 total hits. Junior Ryan Seifert took the mound for the first four innings, striking out two and giving up five runs on seven hits. Junior Jake Whitney pitched two innings to strike out two batters and allow five runs on three hits. Senior Dan Prehn and junior Jason Mathys threw an inning combined, striking out one and giving up one run on one hit.

The contest had remained scoreless until the fourth inning when OSU shook up the Cyclones offensively. After Cowboy Jeff Guiel ripped a three-run homer over the center field fence, a single and two walks quickly loaded the bases. Seifert then walked in a run to put ISU at a 3-0 disadvantage.

Oklahoma State scored three more runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Iowa State didn’t respond until the sixth inning when Aaron Runk singled and advanced on two Cowboy errors. He then scored, unearned, to put the Cyclones on the board, 6-1.

OSU again struck it hot in the seventh, sending four players across the plate. Another run gave the Cowboys an 11-1 advantage, and they sealed the victory in the eighth when officials enforced the Big 12 10-run rule.

Iowa State assumed more control in game two. Center fielder Mike Bahun led off the Cyclones’ half of the first inning, reaching on a walk. Bahun then stole second and advanced to third on the catcher’s error. First baseman Shawn Leimbeck drove in Bahun, and ISU took a 1-0 lead.

Oklahoma State immediately answered the Cyclones’ scoring in the top of the second, scoring three runs on four hits, including Jay McCullough’s three-run homer. The Cowboys scored again in the fourth, grasping a 4-1 advantage. In the bottom of the fourth, right fielder Clark Jones drove a single between shortstop and third base. With two outs, designated hitter Matt McDonough cranked a double, sending Jones across the plate and tightening the score to 4-2. The Cowboys kept the bats going in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, running away with a 7-2 lead. ISU held its own in the eighth when third baseman Bill Uelman launched a two-run homer with two outs. But OSU took charge and scored another run in the ninth to seal an 8-4 victory. Junior Nathan Teut endured the loss, pitching seven innings of the contest. He struck out two and allowed nine hits before junior Shawn Sedlacek replaced him in the eighth. Sedlacek struck out one batter and gave up one run on one hit.

“They’re a very strong team,” Smith said. “We’re going to have to play a lot better and get some solid pitching to compete with them.”

Iowa State falls to 17-22 overall and 3-14 in Big 12 conference play, while Oklahoma State improves to 34-12 and 16-7 in the Big 12. The Cyclones again face OSU Wednesday on their home field.