Two locals ride Cinderella’s Coach to the College World Series

Two local boys have been key contributors to the astonishing run of Oral Roberts University to this year’s College World Series. Guthrie alum Evan Kowalski, a right-handed pitcher, and Edmond North grad Caleb Isaacs, a lefty, worked hard and admirably on the mound over the course of the 2023 season for the Golden Eagles.

Kowalski graduated from Guthrie in 2018. From there he went to Northern Oklahoma College in Enid, where he helped the Jets with the NJCAA Division II National Championship in his freshman year. He appeared in 13 games for the Jets, making seven starts and posted a 6-4 record with a 3.61 ERA. Kowalski allowed just 21 earned runs in 52.1 innings while striking out 73 opposing hitters. He performed well during the COVID-shortened season in 2020, going 2-2 with a 4.94 ERA and 32 Ks and an opposing batting average of just .226.

After he completed his two years at NOC-Enid, Kowalski drew interest from Oral Roberts, and he came in as a sophomore at ORU thanks to the NCAA post-COVID eligibility grant. Over his time at ORU, he has gone 14-6 in 49 total appearances, with a 4.83 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 138 total innings.

Isaacs graduated from Edmond North in 2019 and was in his first season at ORU after three years, including the COVID season of 2020, at Western Oklahoma State College in Altus. He did very well for the Pioneers, posting a 12-5 record in 43 total appearances with 17 starts. He struck out 138 hitters in 115 innings pitched, for a very respectable 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

Isaacs contributed strongly out of the bullpen for ORU this season, getting credit for 8 wins in 29 relief appearances, including a victory against Oklahoma State on June 2. He struck out 43 opposing batters in 45.1 innings pitched. He’ll have one more year at Oral Roberts and hopes to help his team grab that elusive championship next season.

The Golden Eagles run ended on June 21 in a 3-2 loss to Florida.