10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Without a minute to spare, Sooners win series in extra innings

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — No. 25 West Virginia stranded the potential winning runner at third base in the bottom of the ninth, only a minute before a getaway-day curfew would have ended the game deadlocked, and Oklahoma capitalized with three runs in the 10th for a 7-4 win Sunday.

Jackson Cramer’s homer ended a 1-for-23 slump as the Mountaineers (25-17, 10-8) rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the sixth inning before ultimately dropping their second straight Big 12 series. Despite falling into third place in the league behind TCU and Texas Tech, they’re still in position to earn their first NCAA berth since 1996.

“We only have about three weeks left in (the regular season), and what’s going to carry us through the stretch here is simply effort,” West Virginia coach Randy Mazey said.

“Just commit. Commit to this jersey and to this university, all the people that come to watch you and all the kids that look up to you. For the next three weeks, give it all for the Mountaineers. If we do that, we’re plenty good enough to finish strong.”

The rubber-game victory was pivotal for the Sooners (30-16, 8-7), who entered the weekend on the NCAA tournament bubble.

For the second straight series at Mon County Ballpark, a visiting team’s travel schedule impacted not only the Sunday start time but also the game’s duration. First pitch was moved up to 11:30 a.m. at Oklahoma’s request, and the teams agreed no inning could start after 2:45 p.m.

When West Virginia’s Kyle Gray flied out to end the ninth inning — stranding Braden Zarbnisky at third base — the time was 2:44 and the game proceeded to extra innings.

That’s where the Sooners pulled ahead on Ben Hollas’ bases-loaded single against Zarbnisky (5-1). Reliever Cody Wood allowed two inherited runners to score on a single by Thomas Hughes and a sac-fly from Brandon Zaragozza.

“It’s kind of ironic,” Mazey said. “The original curfew was 2:30, and before the game started their flight got delayed 20 minutes so it pushed it to 2:45. That would’ve probably made it a tie, which nobody wanted anyhow, so I’m glad we got the game in. I’m glad we got 10 innings in.”

Mountaineers starter Kade Strowd lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

Reliever Jackson Sigman got the final out of the fifth before yielding Brylie Ware’s solo homer to make it a 4-0 deficit in the sixth.

Oklahoma’s Devon Perez struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings but left after Cramer’s two-run shot in the sixth.

Brandon White’s infield chopper and Gray’s RBI single helped WVU knot the game in the seventh against Vincenzo Aiello.

Connor Berry (3-0) got the final five outs for the Sooners.





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