STILLWATER – Oklahoma State opened a 12-game homestand at O’Brate Stadium Tuesday night and suffered an 11-8 loss to Missouri State.

The loss was the third in a row for the 13th-ranked Cowboys, who fell to 12-6-1 on the season and lost for only the third time on their home field.

A six-run seventh inning by the Bears (7-8) doomed OSU as the visitors sent 11 batters to the plate in the decisive frame and took advantage of an erratic Cowboy pitching staff.

The Cowboys used eight pitchers on the night, with that group combining to issue 10 walks and hit four batters. John Kelly took the loss as he allowed a pair of runs in the seventh inning.

Offensively, Caeden Trenkle homered and had a pair of hits for the Pokes, and Matt Golda added two hits. Nolan McLean also went deep for OSU.

MSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in its first at bat, but the Cowboys answered in the bottom of the inning when McLean crushed a three-run home run over the batter’s eye in center field. The blast was the freshman’s fourth of the season.

The Cowboys extended their lead in the middle innings, getting a two-run homer from Trenkle in the fourth and going up 8-3 in the fifth on RBIs from Alix Garcia and Golda before scoring on a balk.

But in the pivotal seventh, a trio of Cowboy hurlers combined to walk three and hit two with pitches, and the Bears collected three hits to take a 9-8 lead.

In the ninth, MSU added a pair of runs, both coming on walks with the bases loaded, to extend its lead to three.

OSU returns to action Friday when they host Kansas State in the Cowboys’ Big 12 Conference home opener. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at O’Brate Stadium.