Texas comes up short against Oklahoma St.

No. 1 seed Texas arrived at Oklahoma City’s Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark Saturday morning hoping for a long, long day.

The Longhorns had a late Friday too, overcoming eighth-seeded West Virginia in a grind of an elimination game that dragged until 11:46 p.m. And to advance to Sunday’s Big 12 tournament championship game, Texas had to beat fourth-seeded Oklahoma State twice Saturday to emerge from the Division Two bracket.

But the Longhorns couldn’t do enough to force a second game and extend their Saturday at the ballpark. Texas’ run in the Big 12 tournament is now over after losing 5-4 to Oklahoma State (35-16-1) in an elimination game in front of a sea of raucous Cowboys fans.

With their run in Oklahoma City over, the Longhorns (42-15) will now wait to see what seed the NCAA selection committee rewards them with.

“I’m proud of how this team is resilient throughout the whole week,” Texas first baseman Zach Zubia said during a post-game Zoom with reporters. “We played postseason baseball this whole week. We saw good stuff all week.”

Zubia — and the rest of the Longhorns who did interviews this week — admitted they “could have played better.” Losing to West Virginia in their opener. Striking out 38 times in their first three tournament games. A glaring lack of power.

As frigid as the offense was, the Longhorns found ways to win a couple games and get themselves in position to challenge for a spot in the championship game.

“You just got to go in and just tell these guys to move on from each at-bat, take each at-bat with a whole new mindset and just don’t hold onto the bad ones and don’t hold onto the good ones,” explained Zubia, who 6-for-15 with two walks in four tournament games.

Texas’ bats were more active Saturday than they had been throughout most of the tournament.

Coach David Pierce made a few adjustments, swapping in catcher D.J. Petrinsky for Silas Ardoin, left fielder Dylan Campbell for Eric Kennedy and designated hitter Muprhy Stehly for struggling slugger Ivan Melendez. All of those subs recorded at least one hit Saturday save Stehly, who Ardoin replaced for a basesloaded at-bat in the fifth inning.

Ardoin, who delivered the game-deciding RBI Friday against WVU, entered at a crossroads in the game. The fifth inning was a hectic emotional seesaw that featured five total runs, two errors, two pitching changes and a run-scoring wild pitch.

Pierce pulled Texas starter Kolby Kubicheck (4 1/3 innings pitched, four earned runs, four hits, two strikeouts) after he loaded the bases to on two walks and an outfield single. And he ended up taking responsibility for all three runs Oklahoma State plated with reliever Jared Southard pitching — a wild pitch scored one and first basemen Jake Thompson drove in two with a single.

Texas bounced right back from that 4-2 hole in the bottom of the fifth.

Campbell, a true freshman making his first postseason start, led off with a single then advanced to third on a bunt and throwing error. That ended Oklahoma State starter Mitchell Stone’s day after four innings. He allowed seven hits and four runs (three earned) whiles striking out five.

Campbell scored on a throwing error off second baseman Mitchell Daly’s high-bouncer to third base.

Then Ardoin knotted the game at 4-4 on a fielder’s choice groundout that scored outfielder Mike Antico.

Oklahoma State relievers Kale Davis (W, 2-3) and Brett Standlee (S, 4) allowed just one hit over four frames. Texas’ reliever Cole Quintanilla was cruising too, putting together three innings of one-hit ball before true freshman Aaron Nixon (L, 3-3) came in to try to keep it even in the top of the ninth.

Oklahoma State loaded the bases on a single, a catcher’s interference call and a walk. Then Nixon walked in what would be the winning run on a 3-2 count. Campbell nearly retied the game on a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, but the ball curved just left of the leftfield foul pole.

Elimination aside, Texas, co-Big 12 champs and the No. 2 team in the nation, is in position to host an NCAA tournament regional and super regional.

“In my opinion, I think our body of work, our resume says that we should be a top-eight (seed), no doubt,” Pierce said. “You’ve seen stranger things, but in my opinion I think we’re in great shape.”

TCU 17, KANSAS ST. 7

Porter Brown and Zach Humphreys each tallied three hits and No. 2-seeded Horned Frogs fought off the pesky No. 7-seeded Wildcats.

The Horned Frogs (39-17) advanced to play fourthseeded Oklahoma State in the Big 12 tournament championship game at 5 p.m. Sunday (ESPN2).

Kansas State (34-23) beat TCU 5-2 earlier Saturday to force the winner-take-all game.