Oklahoma State Knocks WVU Into Loser’s Bracket, Rematch With Texas Looming

West Virginia will not have much time to lick its wounds after getting blown out by Oklahoma State 12-2 Friday evening. The loss drops the Mountaineers into the loser’s bracket of the Big 12 Baseball Tournament and puts them on schedule for a rematch with top-seeded Texas later in the night. West Virginia (25-26) will get about a 30-minute break before taking on the Longhorns in Oklahoma City.

Friday’s game against the Cowboys (34-16-1) started out bad and only got worse as the evening progressed. WVU coach Randy Mazey sent freshman right-hander Carlson Reed to the mound to start for the second time this week. Reed (4-4) started Tuesday’s play-in game against Kansas, but lasted just 1 1/3 innings and allowed five runs before being replaced. Unfortunately for WVU, Reed’s outing Friday was even shorter. Against Oklahoma State, Reed faced just five batters before he was removed from the game. After getting the first batter to pop out, the next four reached base against the freshman.

Sophomore Jake Carr replaced Reed, but the damage was already done as the Cowboys struck for five first-inning runs. Carr surrendered a three-run home run in the second inning as OSU went up 8-1 and more runs in the fifth and seventh resulted in WVU being 10-run ruled, 12-2. The Mountaineers’ only runs came off the bat of third baseman Alec Burns, who hit a two-run opposite-field home run in the top of the fourth inning.

Get us going, Burnsy!#HailWV | @AlecABurns pic.twitter.com/wL9gBer6rh

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) May 28, 2021

Left fielder Carson McCusker and designated hitter Justin Campbell led the Cowboys’ offense. McCusker finished 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI while Campbell went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI.

West Virginia is 2-2 against Texas this season with ace pitcher Jackson Wolf starting on the mound for both wins. WVU upset the top-seeded Longhorns 5-1 Wednesday behind Wolf’s first career complete game.