The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
West Virginia
Baseball edged, 4-3, by West Virginia on Saturday afternoon
05.20.2017 | Baseball
The Longhorns were in the ballgame but could not pull off the comeback win.
AUSTIN, Texas—A couple of late inning walks sent Texas Baseball (32-20, 10-12 Big 12) to a 4-3 loss at the hands of West Virginia (32-12, 12-11) on Saturday afternoon at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Just as it did on Friday, West Virginia struck first. The Mountaineers got a single, a walk and an RBI double down the line to go out ahead 1-0 off Morgan Cooper (6-3) in the second frame. Texas answered back in the fifth off WVU starter BJ Myers after Michael McCann drove in Zane Gurwitz to knot the ballgame at 1-1.
The tie was short-lived, however, as the Mountaineers regained the lead in the top half of the sixth. After two quick outs, West Virginia's Brad Zarbnisky singled, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Catcher Chase Illig then singled up the middle to plate Zarbnisky and put WVU up 2-1.
The Mountaineers tacked on another run in the top of the seventh off Chase Shugart to put the Longhorns behind two, but Texas pulled back within one in the bottom of the frame thanks to an RBI groundout from Travis Jones.
WVU extended its lead once again in the ninth, this time off Tyler Schimpf, and the Longhorns entered their last ups trailing 4-2.
Looking to push the game into extras, David Hamilton added a one-out double to give Texas a runner in scoring position. Kody Clemens followed with an RBI single to pull the Longhorns within one, but a sharply hit grounder from Travis Jones was handled by the WVU third baseman to end the ballgame.
Texas and West Virginia will meet again in Sunday afternoon's 1 p.m. rubber match. RHP Kyle Johnston will take the mound for the Longhorns.
