A strong start did not last as long as WVU imagined. The Mountaineers' 4-0 early lead dwindled, and BYU took game one of the series 14-5 on Thursday.
The Mountaineers needed a win in Big 12 play, coming off a series loss last weekend to Arizona.
WVU took a 4-0 lead in the second, as a two-out production played a crucial role. The Mountaineers scored two on a two-run single from Chase Swain before they added two more on a two-run double from Brodie Kresser.
Left-handed pitcher Griffin Kirn got the start for WVU, and for the second week in a row, his command was iffy.
Kirn threw a scoreless first, before giving up one in the second on a bases-loaded walk. BYU grabbed another in the third off a single before Kirn tossed a scoreless fourth.
The fifth is when the wheels fell off for West Virginia. The Mountaineers faced 10 batters, giving up only three hits, while the Cougars scored six runs in the frame.
The inning started with WVU allowing two to reach on an error before a single ended Kirn's night. Luke Lyman came into the game, walking a batter, and hitting a batter, loading the bases.
Ben Hudson tried to get WVU out of the jam, getting an out before BYU got two more doubles with two outs in the inning, including a bases-clearing double, taking an 8-4 lead.
Kirn's day finished with him going 4.0 innings, giving up four runs on five hits, striking out two, and walking three.
WVU's offense would go quiet after their early output. West Virginia combined for just two hits from the third through eighth innings on Friday.
BYU added five more runs after the fifth, with three of them coming in the eighth.
West Virginia has now lost three of their last four in Big 12 play, and hope to be able to win game two tomorrow night.
----------
• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot.
• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting.
• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan, @wesleyshoe
