Trevor Martin Gives OSU New Life as Pokes Advance to Regional Finals Against Arkansas
STILLWATER – No. 7 Oklahoma State bounced back from an early meltdown to top Missouri State, 29-15, thanks to a great outing from pitcher Trevor Martin and an offensive explosive from the fourth inning on.
The 44 runs scored between the two teams marks the most runs scored in an NCAA tournament game.
With the win, the Cowboys move to 41-22 on the season and will have a quick turnaround to face Arkansas Sunday evening at 6:16 CT.
Trevor Martin came into the game in relief in the bottom of the third inning and had a stellar outing, other than three pitches. Martin went a little more than six innings, allowing just three runs on four hits, to go with 16 strikeouts and just one walk.
After going down 12-0 in the first three innings, a stellar outing by Trevor Martin in relief allowed the Cowboys to start heating up at the plate.
They put six across in the top of the fourth inning, but the top of the sixth was the magical inning for the Pokes.
Nolan McLean hit a monster shot that nearly cleared the stadium in the top half of the sixth inning to get the Pokes back within three, 14-11. Riggo drove a hard ball into right, which scored another run and put runners on second and third, making it 14-12. Ehrhard walked to load the bases, which brough Jake Thompson to the plate with just one out. Thompson was walked, which scored Daugherty.
Enter Griffin Doersching.
Doersching went hit a grand slam on the first pitch to give the Pokes their first lead of the day, 17-14.
Doersching finished the day going 3-for-7 from the plate with six RBIs, which included the grand slam in the top of the sixth.
Roc Riggio’s stellar play at the plate continued on into Sunday as finished the day going 5-for-7 with seven RBIs, two doubles and a homerun.
He started things off for the Pokes with a grounder up the middle, which was booted by the pitcher, allowing him to reach first safely with a hit.
Ryan Bogusz, who got the start for the Pokes got into trouble in the bottom half of the second as he put two runners on via a single and walk with just one out. The next hitter, Grant Wood, drove the ball into the gap and scored both runners, putting the Pokes in a 2-0 deficit.
After a lineout for the second out, Bogusz walked Nivens to load the bases, bringing second baseman Hull up to bat, who proceeds to clear the bases with a standup double. Kale Davis came in for relief with two outs and the Pokes trailing five. After walking his first two batters to load the bases, Davis gave up a two-out grand slam to Cam Cratic to put MSU up 9-0.
Dillon Marsh came into the game in the bottom of the second but gave up two home runs and three runs in the bottom of the third before being pulled with just one out.
Martin was brought in to finish things out in the bottom of the third, striking out the next to batters to get out of the inning, which, other than giving up two solo home runs, started a very good day on the mound.
The Pokes showed life in the top of the fourth as McLean drove a ball into left field to advance David Mendham over to second with no outs. Marcus Brown was walked to load the bases following a pitching change, bringing Caeden Trenkle to the plate, who blooped a ball into shallow left to drive in the Pokes’ first run.
Ian Daugherty was hit in the next at-bat, bring in another run, making it a 10-run game, 12-2. Riggio drive in a run with a single into right, followed by another run when Zach Ehrhard hit a sac fly into right to make it 12-4. Jake Thompson then hit a double into right to score Daugherty from third to make it 12-5.
Doersching made it 12-6 with an RBI single up the middle before the end of the inning.
The Bears got a run back in the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot out to left, but Trevor Martin recorded a strikeout to get out of the inning.
Riggo’s strong play at the plate continued in the top of the fifth as he hit a two-run homer to center to cut the deficit to just four, 13-9. Jake Thompson advanced Ehrhard, who was then driven in by a single by Doersching to make it 13-10.
MSU got another run back in the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot to center, making it 14-10, but Martin limited the damage as he recorded three strikeouts, bringing his game total to seven.
The Pokes put seven up in the top of the sixth inning and loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but MSU was able to get out of the inning without allowing a run.
A double by Marcus Brown doubled up the middle, scoring David Mendham from second, which was followed by an RBI single by Trenkle, scoring McLean to put the Pokes back up four, 19-15. The Pokes would go on to score another three runs to extend their lead, 22-15.
The Pokes put seven more runs up in the top half of the ninth to extend their lead up to 29-15.