West Virginia Knocked out of Big 12 Championship

The Mountaineers fall short to Oklahoma State in the loser's bracket and are eliminated from the Big 12 Championship

Arlington, TX - The West Virginia Mountaineers (39-18) were eliminated from the Big 12 Championship after a 3-2 decision to the Oklahoma State Cowboys (38-18) Thursday afternoon and extending their losing streak to five. 

Zach Ehrhard got Oklahoma State started in the bottom of the first with a leadoff single to centerfield and Roc Riggio followed with a sharp groundball to third and it ricocheted off the glove of freshman Sam White to put runners at the corners. 

West Virginia’s Ben Hampton loaded the bases after beaning Carson Benge with the 1-1 pitch. Then sacrifice RBIs from Chase Adkison and Nolan Schubart gave the Cowboys the early 2-0 advantage.

West Virginia cut the deficit to one in the second inning after Landon Wallace ripped a leadoff double down the left field line, Sam White followed with a ground ball to second to advance Wallace and Braden Barry put the ball on the ground over to short for the sacrifice RBI.

The Mountaineers tied the game in the sixth. J.J. Wetherholt led off with a double into the rightfield corner, Hussey worked a one-out walk and Landon Wallace lined a base hit just past the shortstop, although it froze Wetherholt at second and loaded the bases. Then, Sam White hit a sacrifice ground ball to first for the game tying RBI.

Hampton settled in after a rocky first inning, allowing just one hit through the next four innings and keeping the Cowboys runs to two. 

Carlson Reed took the mound in the seventh, he gave up a leadoff hit to Schubart before striking out two and catcher Dayne Leonard caught Schubart attempting to steal second. 

The Cowboys reclaimed the lead in the eighth. David Mendham hit an infield single to the hole in short, a sacrifice bunt moved the runner for the first out, Erhard worked a full count walk before Roc Riggio singled into to right field, scoring Mendham. 

In the ninth, Oklahoma State reliever Juaron Watts-Brown kept the inning alive by hitting Wetherholt on a 1-2 pitch with no outs, then a hard ground ball from Caleb McNeely hopped over the third baseman Tyler Wulfert and into left field to place runners at second and third. Watts-Brown followed hitting Grant Hussey to load the bases, but Landon Wallace struck out to end the game as the Mountaineers fall 3-2. 

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