Oklahoma State Starting Pitchers and Lineup for Regional Rematch With USC Upstate
The Oklahoma State Cowboys grinded out an 11-inning game with Alabama State to stay alive in the NCAA Baseball Tournament’s Tuscaloosa Regional.
It’s only going to get harder. The Cowboys (38-21) will face the USC Upstate Spartans (34-29) for the second time in three days at 2 p.m. central in another elimination game.
If the Cowboys win that game, the turnaround is tight. The winner of that game is scheduled to face Alabama in a regional final game at 7 p.m. If OSU gets its shot at the No. 1 seed, it will have to beat the Crimson Tide twice in two days to advance to super regionals.
Oklahoma State has struggled at the plate this weekend. Those struggles saw them blow a 6-0 lead to Alabama State, only to win the game in 11 innings on a solo home run by Kollin Ritchie. Before that, the Cowboys took the lead in the top of the 10th on a bases loaded walk by Alex Conover.
Oklahoma State has not gotten out of the regional round since 2019. To get there, the Cowboys must win three games in two days.
Below is everything you need to get ready for Saturday’s game. Information will be updated as it is provided by each team as they set their starting pitchers and lineups for the game. Oklahoma State On SI’s Tournament Central has Cowboys fans covered for the entire tournament.
Starting Pitchers
Oklahoma State: xxx
USC Upstate: xxx
Lineups
Oklahoma State
The lineup for this game will be posted here when released.
USC Upstate
The lineup for this game will be posted here when released.
How to Watch, Listen
TV: ESPN+ (Derek Jones & Jared Mitchell on the call). NOTE: TV is subject to change without notice.
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network & The Varsity Network App/93.7 KSPI-FM or okla.state/GetVarsity (Rex Holt on the call)
Keys to Game
Oklahoma State
The Cowboys must hit better with runners on base and with runners in scoring position. Oklahoma State has been awful in that category. Against USC Upstate in Game 1, the Cowboys were 4-for-13 with two outs, 5-for-18 with runners on, 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-5 with the bases loaded.
On Saturday against Alabama State, the numbers were worse. OSU was 0-for-11 with two outs, 1-for-13 with runners on, 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-3 with bases loaded. The one hit with the bases loaded was a grand slam home run by Colin Brueggemann. But the Cowboys squandered that before the game went into extra innings.
The pitching needs to be good on Sunday. But with the need to win two games to force a final elimination game on Friday, the Cowboys will have to hit their way out of it, which means their numbers in those categories must be better.
Weather Impact
Per weather.com the high in Tuscaloosa on Sunday is expected to be 89 degrees, with winds out of the west southwest at 5 mph. The chance of rain is 24%.
Schedule and Scores
Tuscaloosa Regional
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala. Venue: Sewell-Thomas Stadium (5,867).
Friday’s Results
Game 1: USC Upstate 8, Oklahoma State 5
Game 2: Alabama 21, Alabama State 3
Saturday’s Results
Game 3: Oklahoma State 8, Alabama State 7 (11 innings, Alabama State eliminated)
Game 4: Alabama 7, USC Upstate 5 (Alabama advances to regional final)
Sunday’s Games
Game 5: Oklahoma State vs. USC Upstate, 2 p.m., ESPN+ (elimination game)
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Monday’s Game
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)
(Times subject to change for TV purposes)
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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