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For the second time in four years, West Virginia has fallen short of a Big 12 Tournament title.
The No. 17-ranked and fourth-seeded Mountaineers (37-20) were defeated by No. 11 and third-seeded Oklahoma State (36-18), 5-2, during Sunday’s championship game at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.
West Virginia led 1-0 through the games first four innings but a three-run fifth inning from the Cowboys proved to be the turning point in the game.
Junior left-hander Nick Snyder, who started West Virginia’s first round game against Kansas on Wednesday, started Sunday and lasted three innings. He allowed just one hit, no runs and no walks during those three innings and struck out seven.
After two scoreless innings which saw the two teams combine for just one hit, West Virginia struck first during the top of the third with a double play with the bases loaded, scoring T.J. Lake from third base. Lake led off the inning with a single and bunt singles from Tevin Tucker and Tyler Doanes followed.
The top of the third ended when Darius Hill grounded out, leaving Tucker stranded at third base.
Snyder hit a batter with one out during the bottom of the third, but then retired the next two hitters to maintain West Virginia’s one-run lead.
The Mountaineers went down in order to start off the fourth and after Snyder allowed a leadoff single during the bottom half of the inning, freshman right-hander Madison Jeffrey took his place on the mound.
Jeffrey then managed to retire three straight batters to end the fourth inning and preserve West Virginia’s lead.
West Virginia had a chance to add to its lead during the top of the fifth inning with two outs when Tucker singled and Doanes was walked. However, Brandon White flied out to end the top half of the inning.
During the bottom of the fifth, two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases for Oklahoma State with two outs. Jeffrey was replaced by left-hander Zach Reid on the mound, but Reid would walk in a run and then surrendered a two-run RBI double to Andrew Navigato.
This gave the Cowboys a 3-1 lead and the inning would end after Simpson was thrown out at home plate during Navigato’s double.
West Virginia then went 1-2-3 during the top of the sixth. The Mountaineers turned to junior right-hander and closer Sam Kessler during the bottom half of the inning where he allowed a one-out single but then retired two straight to end the inning.
The Mountaineers were unable to lessen their deficit during the top of the seventh after Kevin Brophy, who got on base with a one-out double, was left stranded at third base.
After Kessler retired Oklahoma State in order to end the seventh, West Virginia had another chance to score some runs after Doanes and White each reached base (first and second), but a double play and fly out cost the Mountaineers another shot at tying the game or taking the lead.
Oklahoma State added a pair of insurance runs during the bottom of the eighth. One came off Kessler on an RBI single by Cameron McCusker and another off freshman right-hander Brock Helverson with an RBI single by Alix Garcia.
During the top of the ninth, West Virginia scored a run with an RBI groundout by Brophy, scoring Paul McIntosh from third base. However, Lake would strike out as Oklahoma State sealed the Big 12 title.
The Mountaineers will now wait to see who they’ll play in the NCAA Regionals which will be revealed Monday at noon ET.
NCAA regional sites will unveiled Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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