Cowboys Drop Series Opener In 10 Innings

Friday, April 1

Morgantown, W.Va.

5:30:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

18-8, 0

West Virginia

13-10, 0

Oklahoma State

West Virginia

Garrett Benge

April 01, 2016 | Cowboy Baseball

Box Score

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Oklahoma State had a pair of streaks snapped Friday night as West Virginia defeated the 16^th-ranked Cowboys, 5-4, in 10 innings at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Jackson Cramer's walk-off home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the 10^th inning doomed OSU as the Cowboys fell to 18-8 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play.

The loss snapped OSU's five-game winning streak and also ended a string of nine consecutive wins in one-run ballgames by the Pokes.

Friday's game saw dramatic shifts of momentum for each team in the latter innings.

OSU trailed 3-1 entering the ninth and had managed just two hits over the first eight innings against WVU starter Chad Donato. But pinch hitter Garrett McCain was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and Collin Theroux followed with a walk.

Up next, pinch hitter Donnie Walton popped up a bunt that Donato made a spectacular diving catch on before Ryan Sluder flied to center for the second out. That brought up Garrett Benge, who smashed a three-run homer to right-center field to give the Cowboys their first lead of the night at 4-3.

The bottom of the ninth began with Tyler Buffett taking the mound for the Cowboys. Corey Hassel made an incredible diving catch in deep right field for the first out, and a bloop double by Jimmy Galusky followed before Buffett recorded the second out with a strikeout.

Down to its final out, WVU (13-10, 3-3) drew a walk to put runners on first and second before pinch hitter Marques Inman brought home the tying run with a single through the right side.

After OSU was retired in order in the top of the 10^th, Cramer stepped to the plate against Cowboy right-hander Blake Battenfield and delivered his second homer of the game and fifth of the season to give the Mountaineers the win.

Benge's homer in the ninth was one of two round trippers for the Cowboys in the game as Collin Theroux took Donato deep in the sixth for OSU's first run.

OSU starter Thomas Hatch worked seven innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out five before Conor Costello made his first appearance of the season in the eighth and surrendered an unearned run to give WVU a 3-1 advantage.

The two teams return to action Saturday with a game rescheduled for a 1 p.m. (CST) start due to a forecast of rain.