Alabama State didn’t just show up Saturday—they nearly made history.
For nine innings and then some, the Hornets went toe-to-toe with Oklahoma State.
What unfolded felt less like a typical No. 4 vs. No. 2 NCAA Tournament regional matchup and more like a heavyweight fight that just wouldn’t end—until the Cowboys finally escaped with an 8-7 extra-inning win.
From the jump, the Hornets made it clear they weren’t interested in playing the role of underdog.
Alabama State starting pitcher James Peterson held the Cowboys scoreless through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth.
Alabama State didn’t respond to adversity like underdogs
It was in that inning that Peterson gave up a grand slam to Colin Brueggemann for the first runs of the game.
Oklahoma State added two more runs in the sixth to build what seemed like an insurmountable lead.
Still, Alabama State never let the game slip away. The Hornets responded in the bottom half of the frame on a two-run homer by Niguel Jenkins that trimmed the deficit to 6-2.
Alabama State picked up a single run in the seventh before answering dramatically in the eighth, bookended by a Cale Clark two-run bomb –his first of the season — to tie the score at 6.
FIRST. OF. THE. SEASON. 💣
Cale Clark delivers a massive home run and the Hornets have erased a six-run deficit to tie it at 6. 🔥🐝⚾#SWARMAS1 pic.twitter.com/GI7M4lqdh2
— Bama State Athletics (@BamaStateSports) May 30, 2026
The game then was pushed into extras. That’s when it got wild.
OH MYYY ALABAMA STATE HAS TIED THIS GAME IN THE 10TH
POKES ARE ON THE ROPES pic.twitter.com/6AyEhetKoC
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 30, 2026
Hornets were on verge on upset in extra innings
Oklahoma State broke the tie with a run in the 10th. Alabama State scratched across a run on a bases-loaded walk. With the bases still jammed, Devin Chandler struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch that sent the game into the 11th inning.
Oklahoma State ESCAPES. Extra innings in Tuscaloosa
Cowboys have 4 hits through 9 vs Alabama State pic.twitter.com/M33MhSmYDr
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 30, 2026
The Cowboys went ahead for good on a Kollin Ritchie solo homer.
The Hornets had one last chance.
One more inning. One more rally.
But the magic ran out just short of the finish line.
Still, even in defeat, Alabama State walked off that field having made a statement. They didn’t just compete—they proved they belong on this stage. The Hornets out-hit Oklahoma State 11-5 on the afternoon and had a real chance to win in the late innings.
Against one of the nation’s established programs, the Hornets showed grit and the kind of fearless approach that defines postseason surprises.
The scoreboard may read 8-7, Oklahoma State.
But anyone who watched knows Alabama State was right there—one swing, one bounce, one moment away from rewriting the script entirely.
