Colin Brueggemann's Mammoth Blast Ends Oklahoma State Bases-Loaded Drought

For three innings in Saturday’s regional contest, the Oklahoma State Cowboys were having as much trouble against Alabama State as they had against USC Upstate on Friday.

Then Colin Brueggemann changed all of that.

His home run — his first since the end of Big 12 regular season play — not only proved to be a mammoth shot to center field but it ended the Cowboys’ frustrations with the bases loaded and gave Oklahoma State a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning against the Hornets.

The Cowboys were fighting to stave off elimination in the Tuscaloosa Regional. A win on Saturday would advance them to another elimination game on Sunday against either Alabama or USC Upstate.

Colin Brueggemann’s Mammoth Home Run

Bruegge with the no doubter

Pokes on top#GoPokes pic.twitter.com/8Vs3AWdSeq
— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) May 30, 2026

Brueggemann had not homered since the regular-season finale against Arizona on May 16. The Cowboys set up him to hit a grand slam to break open a scoreless game.

Brock Thompson doubled to lead off the inning, while Kollin Ritchie followed with a walk. After Avery Ortiz popped out, Campbell Smithwick was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

The Cowboys had significant issues in that situation in Friday’s 8-5 loss to USC Upstate. The Cowboys had the bases loaded three times in the game, including a bases-loaded situation with two outs in the eighth inning and a bases-loaded opportunity with one out in the ninth inning.

The Cowboys were 0-for-5 in those situations. Brueggemann changed all of that with a 462-foot blast that left his bat at 111 mph and flew over the huge batter’s eye wall in center field at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. It was also Oklahoma State’s 139th home run as a team, which is second best in the country behind Georgia.

It was also Brueggemann’s 17th home run of the season. The Cowboys veteran cleared 50 career home runs earlier this season, along with Ritchie.

The Cowboys started the tournament with some unfortunate news as Aidan Meola, one of their top sluggers, was not in the lineup for either of the Cowboys’ first two regional games.

Head coach Josh Holliday did not talk about why, The Stillwegian’s Daniel Allen confirmed a broadcast report that Meola suffered a broken wrist during practice this week and would not be available for the regional.

Evan Saunders played third base in Meola’s place on Friday. Avery Ortiz was moved to third base for Saturday’s game. Ortiz was in the lineup on Friday as well but at a different position.

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