10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Errors cost WVU in 10-inning loss

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Three errors in the final three innings of play hampered the West Virginia baseball team as it fell 4-3 in 10 innings to No. 10 Oklahoma on Friday at Appalachian Power Park.

The day was highlighted by 3,279 fans coming out to the ballpark, the most to ever witness a WVU baseball game in the state of West Virginia.

The Mountaineers fell to 27-20 overall and 9-7 in the Big 12, and the Sooners improved to 34-12 and 11-5 in conference play. WVU held the hit advantage at 10-8.

Tied 3-3 entering the 10th, back-to-back singles by Garrett Carey and Kolbey Carpenter put runners on first and second base for Oklahoma with one out. Matt Oberste came to the plate and lined a ball to third base that junior third baseman Ryan Tuntland kicked to load the bases for Craig Aikin. Aikin hit a one-hop fielder’s choice to shortstop, allowing Carey to score the game-winning run.

Junior right-hander Corey Walter (4-5) took the loss, allowing two runs, both unearned, on four hits in 3.0 innings of relief. Walter struck out two and walked two.

Taking the no-decision for WVU was sophomore left-hander Harrison Musgrave (7-1) who struck out 11 in 7.0 innings of work. Musgrave allowed two runs on four hits with four walks. He saw a scoreless innings streak of 27.1 snapped in the top of the third inning.

Sophomore second baseman Billy Fleming led the Mountaineers at the plate with three hits, while junior designated hitter Matt Frazer notched two doubles, two RBIs and a run. Sophomore shortstop Taylor Munden and senior right fielder Brady Wilson each had two hits.

WVU got on the board early as the first three batters in the bottom of the second reached base safely. Frazer gave the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead on a double down the right field line that plated junior first baseman Ryan McBroom. McBroom drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third base on a successful hit and run with Fleming poking a single through the left side. Frazer made it 2-0 by scoring on a single to left field by sophomore center fielder Bobby Boyd.

Oklahoma came back in the top of the third and tied the game on a bases loaded bunt down the first base line by Aikin and a bases loaded hit by pitch to Jack Mayfield.

McBroom began another scoring inning in the bottom of the fourth as he reached on a throwing error by Oklahoma starting pitcher Jonathan Gray to leadoff. After advancing to third base, McBroom scored his second run of the game to put WVU up 3-2 as Frazer hit another double down the right field line.

The Sooners knotted the game at 3-3 in the top of the eighth inning on a two-out single through the right side by Hector Lorenzana. The single scored Mayfield from second base after Mayfield reached on an error by Munden.

Gray earned a no-decision for the Sooners, giving up three runs on nine hits in 8.0 innings, striking out six and walking one. Jacob Evans (6-1) let up one hit in 2.0 innings of relief to pick up his sixth win of the season.

Carey and Carpenter each went 2-for-4 to lead Oklahoma with Carey scoring twice.

Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. The games will be video streamed on WVUsports.com, while the radio broadcast will be on select affiliates of the Mountaineer Sports Network, with Morgantown affiliate WAJR 1440 AM serving as the flagship station.





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