Freshmen Bergert and Ottinger toss Shutout to put No. 18 Mountaineers in Big 12 Championship

Oklahoma City, Ok – The No. 18 West Virginia Mountaineers (37-19) win the second game of a doubleheader 2-0 over the No. 7 Texas Tech Red Raiders (39-17) Saturday night inside Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the Big 12 Championship.

In the third, Tyler Doanes dropped in a base hit into right field, then Brandon White hit the ball through the gap on the right side on a hit and run that put runners on the corners before Darius popped an RBI sacrifice fly to right field for the games first run and giving WVU the 1-0 lead.

Freshman Ryan Bergert got the nod to take the hill for the Mountaineers and sat 13-straight batters before giving up a single in the fifth. Despite hitting Cody Masters to put two on with one out, Bergert got out of the inning backed up by another top 10 play from Brandon White diving to grab a line drive in right-center.

Brandon White singled for the third time in as many bats in the sixth, stole second and took third after the throw went wide right from catcher Braxton Fulford. Darius Hill worked a walk to put runners on the corners, then Marques Inman put the ball in play with a grounder to short, although it turned into a double play, White scored from third to push the Mountaineer lead 2-0.

Ryan Bergert pitched a beautiful five innings, only giving up the one hit and retired four.

West Virginia head coach Randy Mazey turned to another freshman in Zach Ottinger and he picked up right where Bergert left off finishing the final four innings with no hits and three strikeouts.

The Mountaineers will play the winner of Oklahoma State and TCU Sunday at 2:00 pm est.