Baseball Falls in Pitchers' Duel
April 17, 2015 08:52 PM | General
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GRANVILLE, W.Va. – Despite an impressive performance by freshman right-hander BJ Myers, the West Virginia University baseball team fell 2-0 to No. 23 Oklahoma on Friday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.
West Virginia (21-14, 4-6 Big 12) had just two hits and was shutout for the first time this season. Oklahoma (25-15, 9-4 Big 12) scored two runs on six hits. Neither team committed an error.
In his first career Big 12 start, Myers (2-2) allowed two runs on four hits with a career-high 10 strikeouts and four walks in 7.2 innings.
“That’s as well of a pitched ball game I think as we’ve had this entire season. For him to go out there against the No. 1 team in the league and strike out 10, really keeping them off-balance all night long,” coach Randy Mazey said. “I’m not leaving this game discouraged that we lost, I’m leaving this game super encouraged by the performance of BJ.”
Senior third baseman Justin Fox and sophomore first baseman Jackson Cramer had the only two hits for West Virginia, both singles. Fox also reached base by way of walk.
“We had a couple of opportunities early and they made some really good plays defensively,” Mazey said. “The second baseman makes a play up the middle on Shaun Wood that costs us a run. The first baseman down the line on Shaun Wood that potentially could have been an RBI double. Against a really good team, opportunities are far and few between, and you need to take advantage of every one.”
Scoreless entering the eighth inning, Oklahoma’s Hunter Haley led off the frame with a single through the right side and advanced to third base following a sacrifice bunt by Joshua Ake. Kolbey Carpenter then blasted his team-leading seventh home run of the season over the left center field fence.
Sooner right-hander Jake Elliott (4-3) picked up the win after pitching 7.1 shutout innings. He gave up just two hits, struck out eight and walked two. Carpenter and Robert Tasin had two hits apiece to lead Oklahoma at the plate.
West Virginia and Oklahoma return to action on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Mountaineers will send junior left-hander Ross Vance (5-2) to the mound and he will face Sooners right-hander Alec Hansen (4-4).
The game will feature a free video stream, courtesy of Coca-Cola. The game can be heard throughout the state on affiliates of the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG with Jeff Culhane and Ernie Galusky on the call.
Additionally, fans can listen to the broadcast via the WVU Gameday App on their mobile device, as well as the TuneIn Radio App. WVUsports.com also will carry free live audio via the LeanStream Player at WVUsports.com/audio.
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