TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – On Friday, May 29, the USC Upstate Spartans defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys 8-5 to win their first regional game at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The win over Oklahoma State was also the first-ever NCAA Tournament win for USC Upstate in its history.
USC Upstate head coach Kane Sweeney talked about what it meant for the program to win its first NCAA Tournament game in Tuscaloosa on Friday.
“This win is massive,” Sweeney said. “We came out and did exactly what we talked about doing. I loved the way we competed and played. This is what we set out to do when we got here, which was to win.”
He added, “Last year, we were enjoying the regional experience. This year, we expected to win.”
USC Upstate benefits from Oklahoma State’s mistakes, Jake Armsey and Preston Lucas with big hits
The Spartans got out to an early 4-0 lead thanks to some mistakes from the Cowboys. The four runs for USC Upstate came from two wild pitches, a passed ball, and a double play.
However, Oklahoma State had a response for USC Upstate’s quick lead with a four-run bottom of the second inning. This made it a 4-4 game.
USC Upstate third baseman Jake Armsey was able to strike right back with an RBI base hit that made it a 5-4 game in the third inning. Wylie Waters then scored a run in the fourth inning thanks to an error from Oklahoma State. This made it a 6-4 game.
Later in the game, Preston Lucas came up with a big two-run single in the eighth inning while USC Upstate faced a narrow 6-5 lead. This made it an 8-5 game as the Spartans cruised on to victory.
Max Bianchini and Jacob Kirby come up big in relief for USC Upstate
After USC Upstate starting pitcher Brent Stukes went five innings, Max Bianchini came on in relief for the Spartans and put together a fantastic outing. In three innings of work, Bianchini had two strikeouts and allowed no runs. He talked about his outing and the game plan when facing a powerful Oklahoma State lineup.
“Facing any lineup is the same to me when you hit your spots,” Bianchini said. “If you put it in the exact place where your defense can make plays, you will be alright.”
Jacob Kirby closed out the game for the Spartans in the ninth inning. Despite loading the bases, Kirby struck out the next two Oklahoma State hitters to earn his third save of the season.
Up next for the Spartans and Cowboys
The USC Upstate Spartans will await the winner of the Alabama State-Alabama game, which is tonight at 7 p.m. ET. The Spartans will play the winner on Saturday, May 30, at 7 p.m. ET.
As for Oklahoma State, they are now facing elimination with one loss in regional play. They will await the loser of the Alabama State-Alabama game and play them on Saturday, May 30, at 2 p.m. ET.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: USC Upstate infielder Jake Armsey (3) throws during an NCAA college baseball game against Stetson, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in DeLand, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
