MORGANTOWN — Oklahoma designated hitter Brett Squires went 4 for 4 on Sunday and drove in three runs, as Oklahoma 10-runned West Virginia with a 17-7 victory to take the three-game series.
The game was stopped after seven innings due to the Big 12’s mercy rule. It was Squires’ RBI single in the seventh that ended the game.
The game was a back-and-forth affair through five innings, but the Sooners (31-18, 13-8 Big 12) prevailed with an offensive lineup that could not be stopped.
After trailing 6-3 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Sooners scored 14 runs over the final four innings to seal the victory.
Squires hit a two-run homer in the second inning that gave Oklahoma a 3-1 lead, but West Virginia (30-20, 11-10) came back in the fourth when Tevin Tucker had an RBI single, J.J. Wetherholt hit a bases-loaded double that scored two runs and McGwire Holbrook scored Austin Davis with a single.
WVU had 12 hits, with Wetherholt and Holbrook each getting two, but it was a small comparison to Oklahoma’s 15 hits that included two home runs and three doubles.
WVU missed an opportunity in the fifth inning when Wetherholt and Victor Scott II both struck out with the bases loaded. The Mountaineers did score one run in that inning to cut Oklahoma’s lead 8-7, but that was as close as WVU got the rest of the way.
Aidan Major started his first Big 12 game of the season after throwing six no-hit inning against Pitt on Tuesday.
He lasted just three innings, while giving up three hits and four runs. He also walked three and struck out none.
Zach Ottinger took the loss for WVU. He came in relief in the fourth inning, but gave up three hits and three runs without getting an out before being pulled.
The rest of the Mountaineers’ bullpen fared any better. In all, WVU relief pitchers gave up 12 hits and 13 runs over 3 2/3 innings.
Oklahoma relief pitcher Trevin Michael earned the win. He pitched the final four innings and gave up two hits and a run, while striking out five. It’s his fourth win of the season.
It was the second time in the series Oklahoma scored in double figures against WVU. The Sooners took Game 1 of the series with a 15-1 victory, before losing Game 2 on Saturday, 9-8.
With the series loss, WVU is now in a tie with Texas for fifth place in the Big 12 standings, but the Longhorns own the tiebreaker by taking two games earlier this month against the Mountaineers.
WVU returns home at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to host Kansas State in a three-game series that will conclude the regular season.
The Big 12 tournament begins May 25 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex.
