Omaha Bound: OSU Baseball Headed to CWS After 3-1 Win Over South Carolina

The Oklahoma State baseball team is headed to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 1999 after taking down South Carolina 3-1 in the second game of their Super Regional. The Cowboys’ win over the Gamecocks is their second in as many days as OSU has now gone unbeaten throughout the first two weekends of the NCAA Tournament.

Tyler Buffett pitched a tremendous game for Oklahoma State, giving up eight hits throughout seven innings while striking out four batters. 

It may have taken the Cowboys’ offense four innings to get warmed up, but when the floodgates opened in the fifth inning, OSU was definitely able to capitalize.

With one out and Jon Littel on second base, J.R. Davis hit an easy grounder to South Carolina shortstop Marcus Mooney. Instead of throwing out the force at first base, Mooney opted to get fancy by attempting to pick off Litell at second, but Mooney overthrew D.C. Arendas. As the errant ball rolled into the outfield, Littel advanced to third base and put OSU runners on the corners with only one out.

Corey Hassel quickly took advantage of the opportunity by laying down a pretty bunt that rolled right under the glove of the charging Gamecocks’ first baseman Madison Stokes, and successfully scored Littel from third.

Donnie Walton then strolled up to the plate and knocked home Davis from second with an RBI single that also advanced Hassel to third base.

The OSU offense was awake, and South Carolina wasn’t responding well.

With runners on the corners, Walton went for the steal to second and South Carolina catcher John Jones attempt to throw him out was way too high and soared into the outfield, as the second Gamecock’s error of the inning allowed Hassel to score from third to put Oklahoma State up 3-0. 

South Carolina didn’t go away without a fight, as Gene Cone was able to give the Gamecocks their first run of the game when he scored from third on a passed ball on a pitch from OSU’s Michael Mertz in the top of the eighth, but that was all they were able to muster up as they fall to 0-16 on the season when trailing after eight innings.

The Cowboys will take on UC Santa Barbara in Omaha, who beat Louisville in their Super Regional with a walk-off grand slam when trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth.