NORMAN, Okla. — Mac James belted a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning off West Virginia’s Harrison Musgrave as Oklahoma evened their series with a 5-3 win Friday night.
West Virginia (18-16, 3-7) finished with just six hits, all against Sooners starter Adam Choplick, who got a no-decision through seven innings.
Ralph Garza (5-1) replaced Choplick with a man aboard in top of the eighth and promptly struck out two and picked off one.
Musgrave (3-3) stuck around throughout the bottom of the eighth, which turned out to be his undoing. After Sheldon Neuse lined a single through the left side for his second hit, James pulled his fourth homer of the season over the left-field fence.
After going unbeaten in his first 10 Big 12 starts, Musgrave dropped his second straight league game, pitching eight innings and allowing five runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
Garza pitched a perfect ninth for the Sooners, who had lost four straight Big 12 home games.
Brad Johnson gave West Virginia a 1-0 lead in the top of the second by doubling home Jacob Rice. But the Sooners (25-15, 5-6) countered with two runs in the bottom half thanks to three-straight two-out hits. Joshua Ake doubled and scored on Craig Aikin’s triple to center. Taylor Alspaugh then singled home Aikin for a 2-1 lead.
WVU tied it at 2-2 in the third when Michael Constantini drew a leadoff walk and scored on Billy Fleming’s grounder.
Oklahoma regained a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Neuse tripled off the left-field wall and came home on a sacrifice fly by James.
Johnson tied it at 3-3 in the sixth with a two-out single to left-center that scored Ryan McBroom.
Saturday’s game will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern and will be televised on affiliates of Fox College Sports Central.