CLEMSON, S.C. --- Nobody is bashing Oklahoma State anymore.

The Cowboys, perhaps the most criticized selection for the 64-team NCAA baseball tournament, proved they belong Saturday night by dint of a 3-2 victory over top-seeded Clemson in an NCAA regional game.

Neil Medchill hit a two-out RBI single in the eighth inning to give Oklahoma State the win. Medchill's sharp grounder went off the glove of sprawling first baseman Ben Paulsen, allowing Micheal Dabbs to score from second with the go-ahead run. Dabbs had reached second when the Tigers failed to make a catch in left-center on a play ruled a double.

Freshman Randy McCurry (4-1) shut down the Tigers in order in the ninth.

OSU coach Frank Anderson said his team, which finished ninth in the 10-team Big 12 Conference standings, never paid attention to outside criticism.

"We really haven't thought about it that much," Anderson said. "I never discussed it one time with our kids. What are you going to say?"

The Cowboys (34-22), the only unbeaten team in the regional, will play either Clemson (41-20) or Tennessee Tech for the championship Sunday night.

McCurry got the Cowboys out of an eighth-inning jam with the game tied and the lead run on third base. Left-hander Andrew Oliver took a shutout into the eighth before allowing two tying runs on singles by Chris Epps and Mike Freeman.

Cowboys Tom Belza and Mark Ginther broke open a scoreless game with back-to-back homers in the seventh off Tiger starter Casey Harman. Ryan Hinson (2-1) took the loss.

Clemson had eight hits, including two by Paulsen. OSU had only five hits, two by Medchill.

Belza's homer was his fourth in two games, though only his sixth of the season.

Asked about the reason for his playoff power surge, Belza said, "I'm not really sure."

The Tigers hit into two line-drive double plays and lined out a third time with a runner on second base.

"I thought we put some good swings on the ball," Clemson coach Jack Leggett said.