AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (Interstat) — Colin Brueggemann’s grand slam in the fifth inning erased a five-run deficit and Garrett Shull’s two-run homer an inning later provided the decisive runs as Oklahoma State outlasted Missouri State 8-7 in a nonconference baseball thriller Tuesday at O’Brate Stadium.

The Cowboys, improving to 9-3, trailed 7-1 before Brueggemann’s one-out, opposite-field blast off reliever Jason Schaaf. The towering drive to left field, his second of the season, scored Brock Thompson, Campbell Smithwick and Deacon Pomeroy, transforming a 7-2 contest into a 7-6 nail-biter.

Oklahoma State completed the comeback in the sixth when Terrance Bowen doubled and Shull followed by driving a 1-0 pitch from Schaaf over the wall in right-center for his second homer, giving the Cowboys an 8-7 lead they would not relinquish.

Missouri State (7-5) had built its early advantage with opportunistic offense and capitalized on Oklahoma State mistakes. The Bears plated an unearned run in the second after Logan Fyffe reached on an error by shortstop Thompson, later scoring on Taeg Gollert’s RBI single. They added two more in the fourth on run-scoring hits by Bryce Cermenelli and Gabe Roessler for a 4-1 lead, then erupted for three runs in the seventh to reclaim momentum at 7-6.

In that seventh-inning rally, the Bears loaded the bases with one out against relievers Stormy Rhodes and Drew Blake. A walk to Gollert forced in a run, and pinch-hitter Brant Kragel cleared the bases with a three-run double to right-center off Drew Winslow, momentarily stunning the home crowd.

The game’s most critical sequence, however, belonged to the Oklahoma State bullpen after Kragel’s hit. Bryce LeBlanc entered and needed just one pitch to induce an inning-ending foul out. Noah Wech then delivered two dominant innings of relief, striking out two and allowing only a hit batter to earn the save. Wech retired the final five batters he faced in order.

Missouri State’s own relief corps was brilliant in defeat. After starter Tyler Charlton allowed six runs in 2 1/3 innings, four Bears relievers combined for 5 2/3 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball, striking out 12. Ross Felder, Sam Maclaughlin and Trenton Ash each threw a perfect inning with two strikeouts. Ash was particularly overpowering, striking out the side in the seventh.

The Bears outhit the Cowboys 10-7 but stranded nine baserunners and hit into two double plays. Oklahoma State pitchers issued eight walks and hit three batters but worked out of jams when necessary, stranding 11 Missouri State runners.

The win extends Oklahoma State’s winning streak to four games as they prepare to host Gardner-Webb for a three-game series starting Friday. Missouri State, which had won four of its last five entering Tuesday, opens a three-game home set with Memphis on Friday.