West Virginia Stumbles in the Opening Round of the Big 12 Championship

The Mountaineers' bats remain cold, and the losing streak grows to four after falling in the opening round of the Big 12 Championship to Texas Tech

Arlington, TX - The West Virginia's (39-17) struggles continued Wednesday night dropped as the Mountaineers (39-17) dropped their fourth consecutive game after a 6-2 loss in the opening round of the Big 12 Championship to sixth seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders (38-19).

West Virginia freshman David Hagaman made his first career start and found himself in a jam in the top of the second after Austin Green worked a leadoff walk and Zac Vooletich smacked a one-out single before Hudson White scored the game's first run with an RBI single into right centerfield. 

Hagaman loaded the bases on the next pitch, beaning Dillon Carter. A visit to the mound from head coach Randy Mazey settled Hagaman for the second strikeout of the night before walking in another run and getting out of the inning with strikeout number three. 

Gavin Cash extended the Red Raiders lead in the third with a two-out solo home run and a 3-0 advantage. 

Texas Tech added a run in the fourth when Hudson White led off the inning with a base hit and Tracer Lopez placed runners at the corners with a sharp single back up the middle, then Nolen Hester singled into shallow right-center to score White for a 4-0 lead. 

Caleb McNeely put the Mountaineers on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out 439-foot solo home run.

West Virginia reliever Austin Major took the mound in the fifth, and Austin Green responded with a leadoff home run to put the Red Raiders back up four, 5-1. 

Texas Tech put two aboard in the sixth, and with the runners at second and third with two outs, Mazey called in Max Yehl from the bullpen and after the first pitch, a balk was called to score another Red Raiders run and a 6-1 advantage. 

In the seventh, Caleb McNeely lined a base hit into left field to lead off the inning, and Logan Sauve reached on an infield single and both runners advanced on a wild pitch before Tevin Tucker lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to get the Mountaineers within four, 6-2. 

Texas Tech releiver Brandon Beckel settled in and retired six consecutive Mountaineers to end the game and hold on for the 6-2 decision. 

West Virginia will meet the two seed Oklahoma State Cowboys (37-17) Thursday afternoon in the loser’s bracket of the Big 12 Conference Championship with the first pitch set for approximately 1:30 p.m. EST and streaming on ESPN+.

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