Projected Rotation for Oklahoma State in NCAA Baseball Regional Tournament

One of the most important things any team must figure out in the NCAA Baseball Tournament is how to arrange its pitching staff.

NCAA Regionals can get out of control fast, especially if a team like Oklahoma State — which is the No. 2 seed and should be favored over USC Upstate — loses its first game. The team that continues to win in regionals, especially the first two days, tends to thrive.

For coaches like Josh Holliday, there’s a balance to be struck if you’re the higher seed. The Cowboys want to win the game, but they don’t necessarily want to burn their best pitcher, especially if a game against the top seed, in this case Alabama, is the next opponent.

Looking back at Oklahoma State’s past three turns through its rotation, along with its Big 12 Tournament is informative. Given the last month, here is how the Cowboys could arrange its first three turns in the rotation, assuming the Cowboys keep winning.

Game 1 vs. USC Upstate: LHP Hudson Barrett

The Cowboys had a consistent rotation for its series against TCU and Arizona State — Ethan Lund, Stormey Rhodes and Brennan Phillips. Then, against Arizona, Oklahoma State slotted Barrett into the Friday game and then followed that by having him start in the Big 12 Tournament opener against UCF.

While he struggled against Arizona (3.1 innings, four hits, two earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts), he was solid against UCF (5.0 innings, five hits, five runs but only one earned, with four strikeouts and a walk). He set up the bullpen duo of Mario Pesca and Noah Wech to get the other four innings.

He has had great starts this season. His best was against Sam Houston in February, as he struck out 10 in seven innings, giving up two hits and one run. But if Barrett delivers what he did against UCF, that should work.

Game 2: LHP Ethan Lund

ANOTHA THREE

Ethan Lund strikes out the side in the second#GoPokes | @EthanLund36 pic.twitter.com/RqVUa4O80G
— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) May 1, 2026

Lund was the Cowboys’ Friday starter for several turns before Phillips to his spot against Arizona in the final Big 12 series and he started the Saturday game. He also started the game after Barrett in the Big 12 Tournament. Holliday probably wants to save Lund for a potential match-up against Alabama on Saturday.

In his last start against Kansas he went six innings, giving up five hits, three earned runs, three walks and eight strikeouts. He’s gone at least six innings in each of his last two starts and his appearance against Arizona was dominant. He went seven innings, giving up two hits, one earned run and two walks against 13 strikeouts. He has that kind of stuff. He’s struck out 10 or more hitters in six times.

That’s the kind of stuff the Cowboys need in a second game against the Crimson Tide. Gambling on one of the other starters in the first game is worth it to give Lund a potential shot at Alabama.

Game 3: RHP Stormy Rhodes

Stormy Rhodes tosses up a ZERO in his 1st inning of work, the 7th inning here at O'Brate. Rhodes worked around a 2-out walk and a stolen base to go scoreless.

It's Tight & Its' Late! 4-3 Pokes headed to the ⬇️ of 7! #gopokes #okstate pic.twitter.com/WBGLRXPxlg
— OState Daily (@Ostate_Daily) April 5, 2026

Win or lose, the third game of a regional is an all-hands-on-deck kind of situation so in these games the starter may not go that long.

Rhodes was the Saturday starter against TCU and Arizona State and the Sunday starter against Arizona, so he’s a trusted piece at this point. The main concern would be he hasn’t thrown in a game since May 16.

The Cowboys have won each of his last five starts. That included his final start against the Wildcats. He went seven innings, giving up eight hits and five earned runs with one walk and six strikeouts. Oklahoma State would love to see him pitch like he did against Kansas on April 17, during which he gave up two hits and no earned runs in five innings.

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