Oklahoma State Falls to Duke in NCAA Regional Finals
ATHENS, Ga. – Oklahoma State’s baseball season concluded in a narrow 3-2 defeat against No. 2 seed Duke in the NCAA Athens Regional finals at Foley Field on Sunday night. This loss wrapped up the Cowboys’ campaign with a record of 30-25, while Duke improved to 40-19.
In an earlier game that day, OSU showcased resilience by defeating the No. 7 national seed and host, Georgia, to reach the Regional finals for the eighth time in 12 tournament appearances under head coach Josh Holliday.
The Cowboys took an early lead in the fourth inning. Following a leadoff walk by Nolan Schubart, Ritchie crushed a pitch over the right-field wall, marking his fifth home run of the Regional and the 14th of the season, putting OSU up 2-0. Freshman right-hander Noah Wech delivered an outstanding performance, pitching six shutout innings with five strikeouts and no walks.
Although the Cowboys held a two-run lead into the eighth inning, Duke’s A.J. Gracia hit a solo home run, narrowing the deficit. Following a hit and a walk, relief pitcher Mario Pesca struck out Tyler Albright but couldn’t escape the inning unscathed, as Sam Harris’s run-scoring single allowed Duke to take a 3-2 lead.
In the final inning, Duke’s Reid Easterly retired the Cowboys in order, sealing the victory.
OSU had three players recognized on the NCAA Athens Regional All-Tournament Team: Ritchie, Schubart, and Brayden Smith. Ritchie shined during the tournament, hitting .538 with five homers and 10 RBIs, while Schubart went 7-for-14 with two home runs.
Despite the loss, Oklahoma State’s performance highlighted its competitive spirit and depth throughout the season.
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