Cowboy Baseball Extends Season At NCAA Regional

Saturday, May 30

Tuscaloosa, AL

1:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

38-21

Alabama State

34-23

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma State	0	0	0	4	0	2	0	0	0	1	1	8	5	0
Alabama State	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	3	0	1	0	7	11	1

Mario Pesca

May 30, 2026 | Cowboy Baseball

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Oklahoma State advanced at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional Saturday as the second-seeded Cowboys knocked off No. 4-seed Alabama State, 8-7, in 11 innings in an elimination game at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

With the win, the 19^th-ranked Cowboys improved to 38-21 and will face the loser of tonight's Alabama/USC Upstate game on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Kollin Ritchie's home run in the 11^th was the difference, and Mario Pesca picked up the win in relief to extend the Pokes' season. Ritchie's homer was his 30^th of the season as he became only the fourth Cowboy in history and first since 1999 to achieve that feat, joining Pete Incaviglia (NCAA-record 48 in 1985), Lamont Matthews (30 in 1999) and Monty Fariss (30 in 1988).

Pesca improved to 7-4 with the win as the right-hander worked the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four.

Brennan Phillips turned in a solid effort in his seventh start of the season. The southpaw worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits while recording a season-high seven strikeouts, one shy of his career best.

Offensively, the Cowboys also got a couple of big swings of the bat from Colin Brueggemann, who delivered his 17^th home run of the season with a grand slam and also had a double.

OSU got on the scoreboard in a big way in the fourth. Brock Thompson got things started with a leadoff double before Ritchie walked. After a pop out, Campbell Smithwick walked to load the bases for Brueggemann, who unloaded on a James Peterson offering for a grand slam to center field.

Along with putting the Pokes up 4-0, Brueggemann's homer moved him to ninth on OSU's all-time lists with 52 homers and 204 RBIs.

OSU added to its lead in the sixth. With two on and two outs, Remo Indomenico lifted a fly ball to the outfield. But ASU left fielder Devin Chandler misplayed the ball for an error, allowing two runs to score and Indomenico to reach third.

The Hornets snapped the shutout in the sixth. After beginning the inning with back-to-back strikeouts, Phillips allowed a single followed by a two-run homer as ASU cut the Cowboys' lead to 6-2 and knocked Phillips out of the game.

ASU added its third run in the seventh against Noah Wech, who opened the inning by allowing a single and a walk. Following a bunt to advance the runners, Breydon Divine delivered a sacrifice fly to right field to make the score 6-3 before Wech was able to escape further damage.

The Hornets erased the OSU lead in the eighth, getting a leadoff double and scoring on a single to pull to within 6-4 and bring Pesca out of the bullpen. But on the first pitch Pesca threw, Jackson Williams deposited a game-tying home run over the left-field wall.

The game remained tied until the 10^th. Brueggemann got things going with a one-out double, and after a fly out, back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Conover then stepped to the plate and drew a walk to bring home the go-ahead run.

It would not hold up as ASU also loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, then plated the tying run on a walk before Pesca extended the game with a strikeout.

Ritchie led off the 11^th with a home run on the second pitch he saw to put the Pokes on top, but ASU made things interesting in the bottom of the frame.

After a leadoff hit by pitch, Pesca recorded a pair of outs, but a single put two runners on. Willams then worked a full count before Pesca got him swinging to end the game.