Texas Tech baseball can't upset Oklahoma State in Big 12 Tournament

The Texas Tech baseball team is likely down to its last life. Needing to win this week's Big 12 Tournament to ensure a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the Red Raiders now have no margin for error in the double-elimination conference tournament after falling to Oklahoma State 7-2 on Wednesday night.

The loss sends the Red Raiders to the losers bracket where they will face Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon. It also means that Tech's postseason hopes are hanging on by a thread with the Red Raiders now at 32-25 overall.

It didn't take long for Oklahoma State to put Tech in a hole. Scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Cowboys got to Red Raider starting pitcher Zach Erdman by bashing a two-run homer to open the scoring.

Then, in the fifth, OSU would scratch out another run against Erdman. In all, the sophomore Red Raider would toss four-plus innings giving up three runs and six hits over the course of 77 pitches.

Tech's only runs would come in the seventh inning. A Gavish Kash two-run homer briefly drew Tech to within 4-2. It was Kash's 41st career big fly as a Red Raider.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys would slam the door on any potential Red Raider rally by answering with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Tech is now 0-3 this year against Oklahoma State. Each of those games has been decided by five runs or more and the total run difference has been 23 in favor of the Cowboys.

The Red Raiders now turn their attention to Cincinnati, a team they did not face in the regular season. Seeded 5th in the tournament, the Bearcats eliminated Texas 8-7 on Wednesday. First pitch between Tech and Cincinnati is set for 4 pm central on Thursday.