OPENING DAY
The Oklahoma State baseball team opened O'Brate Stadium with a game against Little Rock
STILLWATER — Kimberly Anderson pulled into her parking spot near O'Brate Stadium and immediately snapped a photo on her phone.
She' s sat through rain delays. She's endured freezing temperatures.
All while hoping for better days in an updated fa cili ty rather than old Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. She believed Oklahoma State's baseball team deserved better.
It' s why she was emotional entering the home plate gates of O'Brate Stadium on Wednesday afternoon for the long-awaited opener of the stadium.
“I think my heart is really going to be where it has wanted to be,” Anderson said.
It was a year later than expected, but Wednesday was a good day around Stillwater. The Cowboys unveiled their sparkling new baseball stadium to a 25%-capacity crowd and fans watching on ESPN+.
And OSU picked up the best thing of all — a 7-2 victory over Little Rock.
Fans finally got to see the firsts they long awaited.
Justin Campbell struck out Little Rock's Eldrie Figueroa looking for the first out. Outfielder Cade Cabbiness lined a double to left-center in the second for the Cowboys' first hit. Alix Garcia scored the first run on a single by Hueston Morrill. Garcia later hit the first homer, a no-doubter into the Little Rock bullpen in the fifth.
Campbell pitched four strong innings, striking out six and allowing a run on two hits and four walks. Wyatt Cheney earned the win in relief. Five different players drove in runs, too.
Fans were in suites. They lined the spacious concourse. Students had new corral areas reserved in the rightfield bleachers complete with a grill, though none were being used.
A 2,000-foot, stateof-the-art video board o v e r s h a d o w e d t h e s t a di um i n l e f t f i e l d with “Make it happen” branded underneath. A t r i b u t e v i d e o t o 9 1 - y e a r - o l d C e c i l O'Brate played before he threw out the ceremonial first pitch in the stadium featuring his name.
“I t ' s a m a z i n g , ” Anderson said. “These boys deserve it all.”
Anderson i s a dieh a r d C o w b o y s f a n . She works a t OSU's S c h o o l o f C i v i l & Environmental Engineering. Growing u p i n P a w n e e , s h e attended OSU baseball games with her older sister, Kellie, and then became a season-ticket holder in 2008.
S h e ' s b e e n t o t h e College World Series t w i c e t o s e e t h e Cowboys. She doesn't miss c ha nce s t o s e e them play at home.
That made last March agonizing.
The COVID-19 pand e mi c c a n c e l e d t h e college baseball season the week before the stadium was set to open.
The opening of the stadium that started to be built i n early 2018 was shelved.
“I cried for days and was upset f or days,” Anderson said.
Wednesday's t ears were happy tears.
Ander s o n l i t e r a l l y c o u n t e d d o wn d a y s u n t i l t h e g a me. S h e r e - worked her work s c h e d u l e t o a r r i v e when the gates opened. She donned an O'Brate Stadium T- shirt that she and her friends purchased for last season's opener.
Normally a fan who finds the players at Allie P. to offer encouragement from the stands after the game, she was searching for a new path to get their attention.
A n e w s t a d i u m meant a new tradition — finally.
“I'm very emotional, e v e n t hough I k now Al l i e P . was a g o o d place,” Anderson said.