Cobb ‘all smiles’ in return

Oklahoma State pitcher Trey Cobb counts the times he’s smiled on a baseball field with the fingers needed to snap off his signature slider.

There was twice last June, when the Cowboys won the NCAA Super Regional at South Carolina, with Cobb recording the final nine outs; then again at the College World Series when he closed out a 1-0 win over Arizona.

And then there was Saturday.

That’s when Cobb returned to the mound for the first time since OSU’s run ended in Omaha, providing 1 ⅓ innings of solid work in an eventual 5-3 loss to West Virginia. The outcome was disappointing, but being back on the mound, competing, that was special.

“Most fun I’ve had pitching,” said Cobb, a senior, who missed the season’s first seven weeks after being diagnosed with a broken bone in his pitching elbow.

“I didn’t have that for a couple months, and it was weird. But going out there, I had so much fun Oklahoma State’s Trey Cobb is back in the Cowboys bullpen after missing seven weeks with an elbow injury. just competing.”

As much as Cobb missed pitching, the Cowboys may have missed Cobb more.

OSU is scuffling, sitting at 17-11 overall after a 6-3 win against Wichita State on Wednesday night. Injuries – and it started with Cobb – have crippled the Cowboys. Finishing games, another Cobb specialty, has been an issue, too, as the staff has surrendered 35 runs from the eighth inning on.

In three of their conference losses, the Cowboys led or were tied in the seventh inning or later and lost.

So Cobb’s return is welcome. And needed.

“For him to heal up and bounce back and come back to help us is a great thing for him and it’s great for us,” said OSU coach Josh Holliday.

Cobb’s role remains fluid, although he could be back closing games soon.

The plan has been to ease the right-hander back into action, but he said he “felt great” after Saturday’s outing and considers himself ahead of schedule.

He represents a valuable and versatile arm, too, as Cobb has started 13 games and saved eight in 73 total appearances during his career. The Broken Arrow product served as the opening day starter last season, but was shifted into the closer’s role entering postseason play, where he posted four saves, tied for the most in the NCAA Tournament.

Drafted in the 12th round by the Chicago Cubs, Cobb opted to return to OSU in hopes of another run at Omaha. Maybe Cobb can reaffirm those hopes, after a trying seven weeks spent watching.

“It’s something I haven’t done since my freshman year here, when I sat back and was a cheerleader and watched us win the Big 12,” he said.

Cobb played the cheerleader – and the leader – again this time, drawing major kudos from Holliday.

“The character I’ve seen in him, the way he’s handled this, with maturity, outlook, attitude,” Holliday said, “that kid is a walking example for me of how exciting coaching is.”

Of course, Cobb prefers pitching, yet the watching and waiting is what made Saturday’s return so enjoyable.

And the joy was clearly present on his face.

“I’m not really a guy who shows emotion or smiles,” Cobb said. “Off the field, I’m goofy and everything, but on the field I’m different.

“I was all smiles Saturday. It was fun. I don’t know how to explain it. I hope it feels like that next time. I hope I go out there and I’m like, ‘I’m just going to let the chips fall where they may and we’ll see what happens.’”