The Sooners dug themselves into a deep hole in the top of the first inning and never recovered. West Virginia's first three batters teeing off on starter Corey Copping. The Mountaineers would record six hits in the inning and plate five runs to put Oklahoma in a massive deficit for the second conference series opener in a row.
The Sooners sputtered with just three hits over the first five innings and were unable to close the gap. Meanwhile Copping rebounded from a bad start to go seven strong innings on the mound. It equaled a career high for him in innings pitched and while he struck out six, he was also responsible for six runs scored.
West Virginia added that sixth run in the sixth inning when Jackson Cramer knocked in Jacob Rice. Alec Hansen came in to pitch the seventh and, after giving up a lead-off double to Ryan McBroom, recoded three consecutive outs.
Four times, through the first eight innings, the Sooners put their lead-off guy on base four times through the first eight innings but were never able to move them around.
West Virginia tacked on one more run in the top of the ninth when Taylor Munden scored on an infield single to push the advantage to 7-0.
It was the second time the Sooners have been shutout in conference play and the fourth time this season overall. "We've got to be careful and can't let game one beat us twice," Coach Hughes said after the game. "I know we're all frustrated and aggravated but we don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves we've got a pretty good arm, the Big Twelve Pitcher of the Year coming at us tomorrow."
While it will be Harrison Musgrave (3-2, 1.73 ERA) the Sooners face in game two, it was John Means who kept them at bay in game one. "You've gotta tip your cap to that kind of guy," Oklahoma catcher Mac James said after the game. "He put up eight zeroes in a row and we couldn't get the hang of it. It looked like a good pitch to hit and he beat us." Means threw eight complete innings, giving up seven hits and striking out six to earn his fifth win of the year.
Friday night's loss was Oklahoma's fourth in a row in conference play and it snapped a six-game losing streak for the Mountaineers.
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