USC Upstate Wins NCAA Regional Opener over Oklahoma State, 8-5
By USC Upstate Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Entering the postseason for the second time and holding its highest-ever Regional seeding, USC Upstate baseball continued to make history, earning the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win, downing Oklahoma State Friday afternoon. The Spartans, who never trailed throughout the contest, advance to the winner's bracket and will face the winner of No. 15 Alabama and Alabama State on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
Drawing an Oklahoma State starting pitcher in left-hander Ethan Lund, who averages 14.84 strikeouts per nine innings on the season, the Spartans offered a patient approach at the plate to begin the ballgame, drawing four walks among the first four hitters they sent to the plate. Upstate capitalized on a wild pitch and a passed ball with the bases loaded to score twice, delivering a lead it wouldn't relinquish. The Spartans built a three-run cushion after the first frame as a run crossed on a double play turn.
The second frame saw senior first baseman
Wylie Waters jump on a Lund pitch, crushing it off the top of the wall in center. Initially ruled a home run, the call was overturned and ruled a ground-rule double. Later in the inning, a wild pitch allowed Waters to score, building a four-run Upstate advantage.
In the home half of the second, Oklahoma State battled back to tie the contest, plating four. However, Upstate's starter, junior right-handed pitcher
Brent Stukes, settled in by the third inning. Over his final three frames, he racked up four of his six strikeouts and twice stranded multiple runners in scoring position.
While Stukes settled things for the Spartans, Upstate's offense tacked on runs in each of the third and fourth frames. An RBI single from redshirt senior third baseman
Jake Armsey broke the deadlock in the third, greeting a new Cowboy arm. In the fourth inning, the Spartans took advantage of a pair of Oklahoma State errors, allowing Waters to score on a throwing error on a sac bunt attempt from senior second baseman
Gage Griggs.
Entering the game in the sixth inning, redshirt junior right-hander
Max Bianchini kept the Oklahoma State offense off the board for his three innings of work. In the sixth and seventh innings, he faced one batter over the minimum, but the eighth saw the Cowboys load the bases.
Providing some added insurance for the Spartans entering the home half of the eighth, senior leftfielder
Preston Lucas snuck an 0-2 pitch just inside the third-base bag and barrelling down the leftfield line, pushing across two more runs.
In the home half of the eighth, Oklahoma State loaded the bases and found itself with its leading hitter, centerfielder Kollin Ritchie—ranked third in the NCAA with 29 home runs—stepping to the plate. Following a mound visit from Upstate pitching coach
Nick Hoffman, Bianchini immediately induced a 4-3 groundout to end the threat, putting momentum solely in the hands of the Spartans.
Closing the game for the Spartans, redshirt freshman righty
Jacob Kirby secured the victory as he punched out the final two batters he faced, stranding the bases loaded.
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 8; Oklahoma State 5
Records: USC Upstate (34-28; 13-11 Big South); Oklahoma State (37-21; 18-12 Big 12)
Location: Sewell-Thomas Stadium | Tuscaloosa, Ala.
How It Happened
- T1: Taking advantage of some early wildness from Oklahoma State starting pitcher Ethan Lund, Upstate remained patient as each of the first four hitters in the lineup worked walks. A wild pitch and a passed ball produced the first two tallies before the final cross as the Cowboys turned a double play.
- T2: After having a home run overturned to a ground-rule double—he hit the top of the padding in straightaway centerfield—Wylie Waters scored the fourth run of the day for the Spartans, tacking advantage of yet another wild pitch.
- B2: Using its first two hits of the afternoon, Oklahoma State fought back to tie the game in the second. The Cowboys' first hit, a single down the leftfield line just out of the reach of a leaping Jake Armsey from Evan Saunders, pushed across the first run. The next three tallies came as Remo Indomenico deposited a three-run homer into the berm in rightfield.
- T3: Greeting the new Cowboy arm, Armsey got Upstate its run back. He punched a 1-1 pitch through the right side, scoring Maloy Heaghney from second base.
- T4: Capitalizing on a pair of Oklahoma State errors in the inning, Upstate plated another run. After reaching on a fielding error by the centerfielder, Waters scampered home on a throwing error from the Cowboy pitcher on a sac bunt attempt from Gage Griggs.
- B5: Sneaking a ball inside the bag at first base, the Cowboys' Garrett Shull pulled Oklahoma State within a run, scoring Avery Ortiz from second.
- T8: Getting Upstate its surrendered run back, Preston Lucas snuck one between the third-base bag and the Oklahoma State third baseman, plating Tyler Lang and Johnny Sweeney from third and second, respectively.
Notable
- Earning the 8-5 victory Friday afternoon, Upstate claimed its first-ever NCAA Tournament win.
- Drawing an HBP in the third inning, Johnny Sweeney drew his team-leading 30th HBP of the season. Before the afternoon's game, only six players in program history (Sweeney [61]; Devin Buckner [41]; Noah Sullivan [38]; Jordan Stampler [34]; Daniel Gernon [33]; & Charlie Carpenter [31]) have drawn 30 or more career HBP.
- With Friday's victory over Oklahoma State marking the Spartans' 34th of the 2026 season, head coach Kane Sweeney (2025-26) ties John Daurity (1986-87) for the winningest Upstate skipper in their first two seasons at the helm of the program. Sweeney and Daurity both hold 70 victories in their first two seasons as Upstate's head coach.
Up Next for the Spartans
Advancing in the winner's bracket following its win over Oklahoma State, Upstate returns to action tomorrow evening against the winner of No. 15 Alabama and Alabama State. First pitch time is 7 p.m. ET Saturday.