A Late‑Inning Thriller
The Oklahoma State Cowboys saw their 2026 campaign end with a 9‑7 defeat to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Tuscaloosa Regional championship, finishing the year at 39‑22.
Four long balls left the OSU lineup, the most notable coming from senior slugger Kollin Ritchie, whose 31st homer of the season moved him into the second‑most single‑season total in school history.
On the mound, right‑hander Noah Wech surrendered five runs on eight hits over five innings, while reliever Ethan Lund fanned seven batters in 4 ⅔ innings of work. Veteran Mario Pesca took the loss, slipping to 7‑5 on the year.
Alabama struck first with a two‑run single from Brennan Holt in the second, then exploded for four runs in the third, highlighted by Deacon Pomeroy’s two‑run homer for the Cowboys and a solo shot from Jason Torres.
The lead swung back and forth, with Avery Ortiz and Brock Thompson trading back‑to‑back homers in the seventh, and Eric Hines tying the game with a solo blast in the eighth. The deadlock was finally broken when Brady Neal launched a three‑run homer in the 11th, capping a dramatic comeback.
Garrett Shull added an RBI single in the same frame, but the Tide’s late surge proved decisive. The loss underscored both the resilience and the narrow margins that defined the Cowboys’ season.