Oklahoma State rallies from 12-run deficit, routs Missouri State in NCAA baseball regional

STILLWATER — In the wackiest of wacky college baseball regionals, Oklahoma State took it up a notch.

The seventh-seeded Cowboys’ dreadful start put them down by a dozen runs. Perhaps it was a hangover from Saturday’s stunning collapse to Arkansas.

But that was just the start of the insanity.

The comeback was the capper.

The Cowboys rallied with 17 runs over a three-inning span to erase what appeared to be an insurmountable deficit and they did not stop there as they stunned Missouri State 29-15 Sunday afternoon in the elimination game of the Stillwater Regional at O’Brate Stadium.

NCAA baseball: Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Arkansas Razorbacks score & live updates

Oklahoma State vs. Missouri State sets NCAA record

The 29 runs are the most for the Cowboys in an NCAA Tournament game, surpassing the 23 runs in a win over Appalachian State in 1986.

In that regional, the Cowboys scored 62 runs. They’ve scored 51 with at least one game remaining.

OSU (41-21) had a quick turnaround with a 6 p.m. first pitch against Arkansas in the regional final opener. To advance to next weekend’s super regionals, the Cowboys must beat the Razorbacks twice.

But they’ve proven in less than 24 hours that just about anything is possible.

Like these numbers:

► 44: Combined runs, a single-game record in the NCAA Tournament.

► 29: Runs, a new NCAA Tournament record in a single game for the Cowboys.

► 17: Walks a night after the Cowboys walked 11 times against Arkansas. OSU batters were also hit by four pitches.

► 26: Hits, doubling the total from Saturday’s loss to Arkansas. Roc Riggio and Marcus Brown had five apiece.

► 9: Combined home runs for the two teams.

► 122: Pitches for reliever Trevor Martin, a career high. He did that over 6 ⅔ innings out of the bullpen.

► 16: Strikeouts for Martin, also a career high that ties the single-game record set by Derek Brandow in 1992.

► 5:01: The game length, putting the Cowboys on the field for 9 hours and 54 minutes in a 24-hour span with one game to go Sunday.

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"It doesn't happen if you don't get here," said Missouri State coach Keith Guttin, who added he coached a similar game in the tournament in 1997 against Rice.

"And it doesn't happen unless you win a little bit when you're here."

Less than 24 hours after the Cowboys blew a five-run lead twice Saturday night and gave up 15 runs over the final three innings in a crushing loss to Arkansas, they regrouped.

They looked to be demoralized early against Missouri State, which hit five of its six homers in the first five innings.

The Bears led 12-0 after three innings, battering a trio of Cowboys pitchers.

At that point, the Cowboys’ pitching staff had allowed 27 runs, seven home runs, eight walks and hit seven batters over its last five innings.

Somehow, someway, the Cowboys shook that off.

They scored six runs in the fourth, with five hits and a sacrifice fly. It was a start.

In the fourth, Missouri State’s Grant Wood homered off Trevor Martin, who stabilized the game with 5 ⅔ strong innings of relief, and Drake Baldwin added his second blast in the fifth, but this one a solo shot.

Those didn’t keep OSU at bay.

The Cowboys scored four runs in the fifth with freshman catcher Ian Daugherty singling in a run, Roc Riggio hitting a two-run blast to center field and Griffin Doersching driving in a run with a single.

Missouri State’s lead was 14-10 entering the sixth.

Then OSU really came alive.

Nolan McLean homered to open the seventh, his fourth homer of the regional. Riggio doubled in another run. Jake Thompson walked with the bases loaded.

Then Doersching welcomed Jared Viertel with a grand slam to right-center field for a 17-14 lead. It was his second go-ahead grand slam this season, the first coming in a 10-run inning at Texas.

And another comeback was complete.

The Cowboys’ season lived at least a few more hours.

Jacob Unruh covers college sports for The Oklahoman. You can send your story ideas to him at junruh@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @jacobunruh. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NCAA baseball: Oklahoma State beats Missouri State with record rally