West Virginia baseball racks up 19 strikeouts in win over Oklahoma State

West Virginia baseball started Big 12 play on the right foot by defeating Oklahoma State on Sunday. The Mountaineers won the one-game series.

Due to wildfires in the Stillwater, Oklahoma, area Friday and Saturday’s games were canceled. According to the official WVU Baseball X account, those games are unlikely to be rescheduled. West Virginia and Oklahoma State were able to squueze in one game, with WVU winning 8-6.

In a game that had many lead changes, the Mountaineers were able to outslug the Cowboys and pull in the victory. WVU recorded 12 team hits, while the Cowboys recorded eight team hits. The Mountaineer pitching staff racked up an incredible 19 strikeouts in their win.

WVU Baseball starts conference play perfect

Leading the offensive charge for WVU were hitters Kyle West, Sam White, Gavin Kelly, and Jace “Rhino” Rinehart. West finished going 2-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs. West absolutely crushed a 426 foot home run to left in the top of the second inning, scoring two runs.

Earlier in the same inning, Kelly hits his first collegiate home run on a solo home run to open up the scoring. Sam White continues to provide consistent production at the top of the lineup. The junior infielder went 2-3 with two RBIs at the plate on Sunday.

Reliever Chase Meyer was dominant in his outing out of the bullpen. Meyer posted a line of 3.2 innings pitched with nine strikeouts, one walk allowed, and zero runs allowed. Meyer was in complete control during his appearance and showed fiery emotion after striking out the last Cowboys hitter to end the game.

Starting on the mound on Sunday for WVU was Division 2 star Griffin Kirn. Kirn had a very up-and-down start. Striking out the first two Cowboys hitters on six pitches, Kirn looked like he was locked in. However, the next inning started to unravel for the lefty-hander. Kirn allowed a solo home run in the bottom of the second, and that was the first of four home runs for the Cowboys on the day.

Kirn showed bounce back and struck out three batters in the second after allowing the solo shot and struck out the side in the bottom of the third inning, bringing the lefty to eight strikeouts through three innings pitched.

The bottom of the fourth inning got out of hand for Kirn. Oklahoma State took their first lead in the game after two home runs in the inning, a solo home run and a two-run home run. Normal second or third game starter Gavin Van Kempen appeared in relief of Kirn. Unfortunately. Van Kempen was only able to record one out before walking the bases loaded.

True freshman and former WV Gatorade Player of the Year Bryant Yoak was asked by first-year coach Steve Sabins to get a very important out, and the flamethrowing righty struck out Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year Nolan Schubart.

WVU tied the game with a bases loaded walk in the top of the fifth inning, drawing a tie at four runs a piece. Oklahoma State answered and retook the lead 5-4, in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice squeeze bunt.

Another run for the Mountaineers in the top of the sixth evened the score at 5-5. Oklahoma wasted very little time responding, hitting their fourth home run of the day in the bottom of the inning, reclaiming a 6-5 lead.

Finally, WVU answered and stayed in front of Oklahoma State for good. Beginning with a sacrifice fly RBI from White, “Rhino” joined in on the home run party and hit an opposite-field two-run home run to stake WVU to an 8-6 lead. That 8-6 lead was all WVU needed for the win, as the score held to be the final score of the match.

The Mountaineers picked up a great first win in conference play. To compete in the Big 12 this season, WVU will need to continue to find ways to pick up Big 12 wins. The Mountaineers return to action for a two-home-game set against James Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday.