Box Score MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University baseball team fell to No. 16 Oklahoma State, 7-2, on Friday night in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
 
In the middle game of the three-game, conference set, the Cowboys used a fourth-inning grand slam to build a lead and even the series at a game apiece. WVU finished with two runs on nine hits with two errors, while OSU registered seven runs on 13 hits with one error.
 
Junior left-handed pitcher Adam Tulloch took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) in 3.1 innings of work. He struck out five. OSU's Justin Campbell earned the win.
 
"One swing of the bat changed the whole game," WVU coach Randy Mazey said. "We had the bases loaded (in the fourth), put a good swing on a ball and hit it to the shortstop. They had the same situation the following inning and hit what we thought was just a fly ball to left, but it got up in the wind and blew it over the fence. Sometimes, that's just baseball."
 
For the second consecutive night, Oklahoma State (17-7-1, 5-3 Big 12) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Tulloch worked to find his command early, walking in a run to give the Cowboys the early lead. However, the Weston, Florida, native limited the damage, as he was able to get an infield fly and strikeout to end the frame.
 
From there, Tulloch began to settle in and registered five strikeouts through his first three innings of action. OSU, though, made it 2-0 in the bottom of the third, scoring a run following a Mountaineer throwing error.
 
WVU (11-10, 3-2 Big 12) threatened for the first time in the fourth when it was able to load the bases with two outs. However, the Mountaineers couldn't break through, as an inning-ending groundout spoiled the chance. Then, Oklahoma State broke it open in the home half with a grand slam to make it a 6-0 ballgame.
 
In the sixth, West Virginia got on the board to cut the deficit to five. After sophomore outfielder Victor Scott reached on a fielder's choice and fifth-year senior first baseman/outfielder Hudson Byorick doubled, redshirt junior catcher/outfielder Vince Ippoliti tallied an RBI single to plate the Mountaineers' first run of the night.
 
After OSU added a run in the bottom of the seventh, Byorick homered in the top of eighth, his second of the year, to make it 7-2. The Auburn, Washington, native finished 3-for-4 with the big fly and two doubles.
 
In the ninth and in need of a late rally, senior catcher/outfielder Paul McIntosh and sophomore outfielder Dominic Ragazzo recorded base hits, before a double play ended the game.
 
Along with Byorick, junior outfielder Austin Davis had a multi-hit effort, finishing 2-for-4 on the night. In all, six different Mountaineers recorded a hit on Friday.
 
"I thought we had a good approach at the plate," Mazey said. "The next time we're hitting, it's going to be 0-0. So, if we have the same approach and the same good at-bats tomorrow, then we'll have a good day at the plate."
 
On the mound, redshirt sophomore right-hander Noah Short, sophomore righty Skylar Gonzalez and junior right-hander Zach Ottinger all worked out of the bullpen in the setback. Gonzalez (3.1 IP) tallied four strikeouts, while Ottinger (1.0 IP) fanned three.
 
Next up, the Mountaineers and Cowboys meet in Saturday's rubber match at O'Brate Stadium in Stillwater. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET.  
 
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