OSU Baseball Faces Elimination in Tuscaloosa Regional After Loss to USC Upstate

Second-seeded Oklahoma State's NCAA Tournament run off to a rough start Friday in Tuscaloosa getting upset to 8-5 to the third-seeded Big South Champions USC Upstate in the opening game of Regional at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

The loss sends the 19th ranked Cowboys into an elimination game Saturday afternoon against the loser of Friday night's matchup between top seeded and host Alabama and Alabama State.

Despite outhitting the Spartans, Oklahoma State was unable to overcome missed opportunities at the plate and costly mistakes in the field. The Cowboys stranded 13 runners on base and committed three errors, leading to two unearned runs in a game that featured several momentum swings.

Freshman Remo Indomenico one of the bright spots offensively, finishing 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and three RBIs. Garrett Shull and Evan Saunders also drove in runs for the Cowboys.

USC Upstate wasted no time putting pressure on Oklahoma State starter Ethan Lund. The Spartans scored three runs in the first inning without recording a hit, taking advantage of four walks, a wild pitch, and a passed ball to build an early lead.

The Spartans added another run in the second inning before the Cowboys responded in the bottom half of the frame. Saunders delivered an RBI single to get Oklahoma State on the board before Indomenico launched a three-run homer to right field, tying the game at 4-4.

The tie was short-lived.

USC Upstate retook the lead in the third inning on an RBI single from Jake Armsey and never surrendered it. Oklahoma State's defensive struggles proved costly in the fourth when a pair of errors helped the Spartans extend their advantage to 6-4.

The Cowboys worked it back within one run in the fifth inning when Shull ripped a two-out RBI double down the right-field line, making the score 6-5. That would be as close as OSU would get.

USC Upstate added two insurance runs in the eighth inning on a two-RBI single from Preston Lucas, pushing the lead to three runs and forcing the Cowboys to play from behind late.

Oklahoma State had opportunities to mount another comeback loading the bases in the eighth inning but failed to capitalize, and in the ninth they again put multiple runners aboard. After loading the bases with one out and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate, the final two batters struck out to end the game.

Lund earned the loss, falling to 5-3 on the season after allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings. Reliever Stormy Rhodes gave the Cowboys a chance out of the bullpen, throwing the final 6 1/3 innings striking out six.

Now facing elimination, the Cowboys must quickly regroup if they hope to keep their season alive. Oklahoma State will return to the field Saturday at 1 p.m. with its season on the line.