The Oklahoma State Cowboys enter the Big 12 Tournament as the fifth seed, but their reputation rests less on ranking and more on a bat that can change games in a single swing.
This season the team has smashed 137 home runs, the second‑most in Division I, and its lineup averages 8.6 runs per game, placing it in the top 20 of the nation.
Key bats in the lineup
At the heart of the order, Kollin Ritchie is batting .347 with 29 homers and 73 RBIs, while Alex Conover counters with a .391 average, 14 homers and a .504 on‑base percentage.
Their production is amplified by a seven‑player core that each boasts double‑digit homers and slugging percentages above .500, a depth that stretches opposing pitchers thin.
Pitching hurdles
Injuries have sidelined several expected arms — Hunter Watkins, Matthew Brown, Hudson Barrett and TP Wentworth — forcing the staff to lean on younger talent.
Nonetheless, the bullpen has trimmed its runs allowed from 6.6 to just over six per game over the last fifteen contests, a modest but meaningful improvement.
The upcoming Big 12 Tournament will serve as a crucible, revealing whether the offense can sustain its firepower and whether the pitching staff can tighten enough to survive the NCAA bracket.
If the Cowboys can translate tournament performance into postseason momentum, they may yet turn a promising regular season into a deep run.