A Big 12 Quarterfinal Thriller
Oklahoma State surged past UCF 12-6 in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals, securing a spot in the semifinals and improving to 37-19 on the season. The win comes as the Cowboys sit at No. 19 in the national rankings, underscoring the team’s strong finish to the year.
At the heart of the offense was senior Colin Brueggemann, who delivered a four‑RBI performance that pushed his career total to 200 RBIs, placing him tenth in program history. His timely hitting helped swing momentum in favor of the Cowboys.
The game’s pivotal moment arrived in the eighth inning, when OSU erupted for five runs to open a 10-5 lead. Brueggemann capped the rally with a three‑RBI single that cleared the bases, while earlier in the contest Alex Conover’s RBI single and Campbell Smithwick’s hit had put the Cowboys ahead in the first and fourth frames.
Relief pitcher Mario Pesca earned the win, moving to 6-4 on the season, and added insurance with the late runs. UCF had briefly tied the game at 5-5 in the fifth with a three‑run homer by Javier Crespo, but the Cowboys’ late surge proved decisive.
With the victory, Oklahoma State will now face a semifinal opponent that has yet to be determined, while UCF’s season ends at 31-21. The performance highlights the depth of talent on the Cowboys’ roster, featuring contributors such as Garrett Shull, Brock Thompson, Kollin Ritchie, Aidan Meola and Noah Wech.
Key Performances
Brueggemann’s 200th career RBI highlighted a lineup that also saw contributions from Conover, who added an RBI triple in the ninth, and Crespo, whose fifth‑inning homer briefly revived the Knights’ hopes.