NORMAN– Oklahoma baseball dropped both games of a doubleheader Saturday to lose their first Big 12 series of the season after starting 7-0 in conference play.
After OU juniors Braden Davis and Reid Hensley combined on a no-hitter Friday night in a 13-0 win, West Virginia took Game 2 of the series, 9-5, before turning around to beat OU 8-3 in the nightcap to clinch the series.
In Game 2, the first of two Saturday, the Sooners (14-9, 7-2 Big 12) went on top early via a pair of WVU (14-10, 4-2) errors in the first inning. After sophomore Easton Carmichael reached on a fielding error and redshirt senior Michael Snyder moved him to second on a single, Carmichael was able to race home on a passed ball to make it 1-0, OU.
In the second, West Virginia evened the score with a run on a wild pitch before Oklahoma again went up in the third via RBI single from Carmichael.
West Virginia scored eight unanswered from the fourth through eighth. The Sooners attempted a rally at the bottom of the ninth, scoring three runs on four hits, but a throw down at third ended the threat to bring the final to 9-5, Mountaineers.
Junior starting RHP Brendan Girton (0-1) took the loss, surrendering three runs on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 3.1 innings pitched. At the plate, senior Bryce Madron chipped in a pair of RBIs, going 3-for-5.
The series finale saw WVU get up 6-0 early, courtesy of a five-run first inning and a combined four home runs across the first two innings.
OU sophomore RHP Kyson Witherspoon entered in the second and was exceptional, going 7.2 innings and surrendering just one run on one hit and two walks to accompany a career best 11 strikeouts.
The Sooners pushed a combined three runs across in the third and seventh innings off the bats of Carmichael and Snyder to bring the game to 6-3 going into the ninth. A two-run WVU home run at the top of the ninth closed the door to bring the final to 8-3.
RHP Malachi Witherspoon finished the contest, going the final third in the ninth and giving up one run on one hit and a walk.
OU starting LHP James Hitt (2-2) took the loss, giving up six runs on five hits and a walk in the first inning while striking out one.
At the plate, Carmichael registered a multi-hit game with a 2-for-3, 2 RBI performance.
Oklahoma returns to action Tuesday at home vs. Oral Roberts. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and can be seen via SoonerVision on ESPN+ and heard locally in Oklahoma on SportsTalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM or nationwide on The Varsity app. Live stats can be found at OUStats.com.
Single game tickets and mini-plan options are available via SoonerSports.com/tickets.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.
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