STILLWATER, Okla. — Cole Austin’s two-run, ninth-inning homer tied the game before West Virginia won it 5-3 with two more in the 10th against No. 23 Oklahoma State on Saturday.
The Mountaineers (14-10, 3-2 Big 12) had stranded 12 runners through eight innings and were in danger of dropping the first two games of the series before Austin’s fourth homer of the season, on a 2-0 pitch from Jake Cowan, cleared the left-field fence.
“It’s tough when you have a lead going into the ninth inning, but that’s baseball,” said OSU coach Josh Holliday. “Credit West Virginia because the kid (Austin) put a really good swing on a pitch he got.”
Braden Zarbnisky (3-0) escaped a bottom-of-the-ninth jam before doubling for WVU in the 10th. He advanced to third on Jimmy Galusky’s grounder and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch from Cole Hearean (0-2).
TJ Lake’s RBI single gave the Mountaineers a two-run cushion, before Zarbnisky followed with a perfect 10th inning.
“We really deserved to win that game, because we had multiple guys on base in almost every inning,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “We ended up stranding 12 runners on base, so we really dominated the game.
“I just kept telling them, ‘We deserved to win this game. Stick with it, keep swinging and someone will get the big hit.’ If you stick with it, we’re going to find a way to win.”
The Cowboys (16-10, 1-4) did all their scoring in the fourth inning with a two-out rally. After back-to-back singles by Garrett Benge and Garrett McCain, Colin Simpson blasted a three-run home run to right field.
That was the only blip over Michael Groves’ seven-inning stint in which the West Virginia right-hander struck out nine and gave up five hits.
Oklahoma State starter Jonathan Heasley navigated five scoreless innings despite surrendering seven hits and three walks.
WVU cut the gap to 3-1 in the seventh when Austin’s single scored Kyle Gray.
The series rubber game is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.