A pivotal weekend in Stillwater
The Oklahoma State baseball team is set to open a three‑game Big 12 series against the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday evening in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The matchup carries more than just conference pride, as the Cowboys are fighting to lock in a top six seed for the upcoming Big 12 Tournament.
A top six finish would guarantee Oklahoma State a bye through the first two days of the tournament in Arizona, sparing the club from having to play on consecutive nights and giving the pitching staff extra rest heading into the postseason.
The race for a top six seed
The Cowboys arrive with a potent offensive arsenal, having already smashed 128 home runs this season — the second‑most in the nation. Leading the charge is senior slugger Kollin Ritchie, who tops the team with 28 homers and sits at 50 for his OSU career, while five other teammates have also reached double‑digit homer totals.
Arizona, meanwhile, has endured a rough stretch, dropping seven of its last nine conference games. Despite the slump, the Wildcats still boast three hitters batting .300 or better, and Carson McEntire leads the club with nine home runs.
Arizona’s recent struggles
Coach Beau Sylvester and his staff have emphasized discipline at the plate, hoping to translate the power numbers into timely hits against a Wildcats pitching staff that has shown vulnerability in recent outings.
Schedule and broadcast details
The series will be broadcast live on the conference’s digital platform, with radio coverage also available for fans across the state. Game times are scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, each offering a chance for OSU to swing momentum.
If the Cowboys win two of the three contests, they will clinch a top six seed and avoid a Wednesday showdown in Surprise, Arizona, where the Big 12 Tournament will commence on Tuesday.
The tournament itself is slated to begin at Surprise Stadium, a venue that has become a familiar battleground for the Wildcats, who will look to rebound after their recent downturn.