Mountaineer Miscues Leads to Beatdown
Norman, OK - The West Virginia Mountaineers (30-20, 11-10) squandered multiple opportunities in a decisive 17-7 game three loss to the Oklahoma Sooners (31-18, 13-8) Sunday afternoon.
Victor Scott powered a two-out triple in the first before McGwire Holbrook ripped a double into the gap in left-centerfield to give West Virginia the early 1-0 lead.
The Sooners pounced on WVU starting pitcher Aidan Major in the second inning when Tanner Tredaway hit a leadoff home run, and Brett Squires hit a two-run home run as Oklahoma grabbed a 3-1 advantage.
A sacrifice fly from Braden Barry got the Mountaineers within a run in the third.
West Virginia appeared to take control of the game with a four-run fourth inning, but possibly left runs on the base pads after third base coach Steve Sabins sent McGwire Holbrook home on a base hit from Barry to left field, which was ruled an error, Holbrook did not have a chance to score and was thrown out at home plate, ending the top half of the inning.
Oklahoma responded in the bottom half with five runs, starting with a leadoff walk, and gained momentum with an error in right field that scored a run. Then, a single back up the middle by Diego Mendez scored another. Kendall Pettis worked a walk, stole second before a wild pitch scored Mendez and Pittis. Tredaway hit into a fielder's choice at third, beating the throw to first and scoring the fifth and final run of the inning.
Grant Hussey ripped an RBI double to get the Mountaineers within a run in the fifth, and the Mountaineers would load the bases but could not bring more runners across as reliever Trevin Michael closed the door with back-to-back strikeouts.
Oklahoma broke the game open in the fifth with a five-run inning. Consecutive singles to lead off the bottom half of the inning placed runners at the corners before a pickoff attempt at first, led to a steal at home for the first run. Pettis singled on a bunt and scored another run. Then, Peyton Graham hit a sacrifice ground ball over to short for an RBI before Blake Robertson ripped an RBI double followed by an RBI single from Tredaway, extending the lead 15-7.
Oklahoma tacked on two more runs in the seventh, triggering the 10-run mercy-rule as the Sooners take game three 17-7.
West Virginia finishes the regular season with a three-game home series versus Big 12 Conference foe, the Kansas State Wildcats. The series opener is Thursday with the first pitch set for 6:30. Game two is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 and the series finale is Saturday at noon.
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