No. 4-seeded West Virginia fell to No. 6-seeded Kansas State 8-4 Wednesday, being eliminated in the Big 12 tournament, after losing to TCU Tuesday.
WVU took two out of three games from Kansas State, in coach Randy Mazey’s last home series, but were unable to overcome them Wednesday. They got out to an early 3-0 lead but allowed seven runs in the top of the fourth and couldn’t dig themselves out of that hole, struggling to get back into the game.
Hambleton Oliver was given the start for WVU and was exceptional for the first three innings, before struggling in the fourth. He allowed five earned runs, all of which came in the fourth, on four hits and two walks in the game, while not recording an out in the fourth inning. Owen Borema toed the rubber for the Wildcats and after a slow start in the first, found success down the stretch. He ended up throwing 131 pitches, tossing a complete game allowing four earned runs, on seven hits and two walks, he struck out of 10 batters in the game.
The Mountaineers would get out to a lead early in the bottom of the first when they loaded the bases with no outs and Brodie Kresser hit a single up the middle. With still no outs and runners on first and third, Sam White hit a sacrifice fly to make West Virginia’s lead 3-0, before KSU eventually got out of the inning.
The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth after Oliver entered the inning not allowing a hit. Brody Day served a ball into right-center for a double, allowing two runs to score. The next batter, David Bishop singled allowing two more runs to score and giving K-State the lead. After giving up the lead, Oliver was relieved by Robby Porco, who gave up another run on a wild pitch. Cole Fehrman was then called upon to pitch for WVU. He walked in a run and also had the ball taken from him. Luke Lyman came in walked in yet another run and eventually got out of the inning. The Wildcats led 7-3, with all seven runs coming in the top of the fourth.
Kansas State had the bases loaded once again in the top of the sixth, as another run scored on a walk. The Wildcats held a commanding 8-3 lead as the game winded down. The Mountaineers hit two doubles, scoring a run in the bottom of the ninth, but lost 8-4 in the end.
The Wildcats will take on the loser between No. 1 seed Oklahoma and No. 9 seed TCU on Thursday at 10 a.m. EST.
