Box Score MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In a pitcher's duel between Friday night aces, the West Virginia University baseball team lost the opening game of the series to No. 19 Oklahoma, 2-1, on Friday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.
 
The Mountaineers (14-11, 0-4 Big 12) and Sooners (22-5, 4-0) each had five hits in the contest, but a two-run second inning for OU proved to be the difference. WVU, which had the game-tying run on second base in the ninth inning, was held to one run in the sixth inning.
 
"Well, they're good, they're really good," WVU coach Randy Mazey said of Oklahoma's pitchers. "Darius (Hill) asked me, in the last inning when they brought that pitcher in, he said, 'do they have any bad pitchers?' and they don't. Any guy they roll out there, they are really good. It is fun to hit against these guys. You're locked in and ready to compete, and good pitching is going to beat good hitting. We pitched pretty well, they pitched pretty well. We just have to make the most of our opportunities. We scratched and clawed there in the last couple innings with guys on base. We just couldn't get the big hit when we needed it."
 
Junior right-handed starter Alek Manoah had another quality start, his fifth in seven starts this season, but suffered the loss to fall to 3-2 on the season. In 7.1 innings, he allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and four walks.
 
"He did what he had to do, he only gives up two runs every time he pitches," Mazey said of Manoah. "He's a warrior, when you want to take him out of the game, you have a fight on your hands, and that is not a fight I am ever going to win. So, he never wants to come out he is such a competitor. He has a lot of pride. He gives up two runs and he takes that pretty personally, he usually does not give up much after that. It was the same thing today."
 
For Oklahoma, Cade Cavalli allowed one run on four hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in 5.0 innings. He improved to 4-1 on the year, as four relievers followed to hold WVU to one hit in the final 4.0 innings.
 
Senior right fielder Darius Hill led the Mountaineer offense with two hits and scored a run.
 
Sophomore second baseman Tyler Doanes caught a line drive to start a double play to end the first inning, as Manoah faced the minimum in the opening frame.
 
Oklahoma took a 2-0 lead in the second on a pair of hits. The leadoff batter walked, and a one-out double put runners on second and third. Manoah then got a sacrifice fly, which scored the first run, and an RBI single brought home the second. A strikeout ended the inning and left a runner on.
 
Manoah followed with a 1-2-3 third inning and escaped a jam in the fourth. An error and a double put two on with one out, but the junior righty got back-to-back groundouts to end the frame.
 
The Mountaineers got their first hit of the game in the fourth, on a single through the right side by Hill. Manoah then retired the side in order in the fifth. Two walks and a base hit by freshman shortstop Tevin Tucker loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but a strikeout ended WVU's scoring chance.
 
After Manoah left a runner on second in the top of the sixth, West Virginia cut the deficit in half with a run in the bottom half to make it 2-1. Hill led off the inning with a double, senior first baseman Marques Inman reached on an infield single and a hit batter loaded the bases. Junior third baseman Kevin Brophy then grounded into a double play, which scored Hill.
 
Both teams left two on in the seventh inning, and senior left-hander Zach Reid got a big strikeout to end the eighth inning. Manoah got the first out of the frame before junior righty Dillon Meadows relieved him. Meadows got a strikeout in between a double and walk, and Reid came on and got a strikeout to end the inning and strand two Sooners.
 
In the ninth inning, sophomore right-hander Tristen Hudson entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs. He got a fielder's choice, where Tucker threw the runner out at home, a shallow flyout to center and a strikeout to end the inning and preserve the 2-1 contest.
 
West Virginia put two on with two outs with a pair of walks in the bottom of the ninth, but a groundout ended the game.
 
The series continues on Saturday, with first pitch moved up to a 2 p.m. ET start. The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m., at Monongalia County Ballpark. Tickets are available for both games at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU GAME or on game day at Monongalia County Ballpark. Admission for WVU students is free with a valid student I.D.
 
Saturday is Family Day, where fans can purchase four tickets and receive a $10 concession voucher for just $25. Saturday also is a beanie giveaway to the first 1,000 fans, courtesy of the WV Lottery. Sunday is the first of four trading card giveaways, courtesy of United Bank, to the first 250 kids, ages 16 and under. Sunday also is Kids Day, presented by WVU Medicine, which features a Kids Zone, inflatables and Mr. Twister's Balloon Art and Face Painting, and kids can run the bases after the game.
 
Notes: West Virginia falls to 14-11 on the season and 0-4 in the Big 12 … WVU suffered its first home loss and is 6-1 at Monongalia County Ballpark this season … Alek Manoah earned his fifth quality start in seven starts in 2019 and the eighth quality start of his career … In 7.1 innings, Manoah allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and four walks.
 
Single game tickets, season tickets and mini-packages for the 2019 season are on sale now. Fans can join the excitement of WVU baseball and support the Mountaineers by purchasing tickets at WVUGAME.com, calling 1-800-WVU GAME or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.