AUSTIN, Texas— In search of a weekend sweep, No. 17 West Virginia got blindsided by Texas freshman Lance Ford.
The light-hitting second baseman, who had only eight RBIs in his first 39 college games, drove in six runs Sunday as the Longhorns found consolation on getaway day with a 10-2 win.
Ford hit his first two homers as a Longhorn — including a sixth-inning grand slam — to help Texas (25-21, 6-11) snap a six-game skid.
It brought a damper to an otherwise productive weekend for Mountaineers (26-15, 10-8), who won their fifth consecutive Big 12 series and raised their RPI two spots No. 16.
“This was a really big series win for us,” said West Virginia coach Randy Mazey said. “It’s never easy to come into Austin and win a series, but I’m proud of how we played this weekend in a tough environment.”
The Longhorns chased Kade Strowd (4-5) while batting around in the fourth. Strowd was charged with six runs — four earned— on five hits and three walks in his shortest outing of the season.
Despite four consecutive hits, West Virginia scored only once in the fourth — on T.J. Lake’s RBI single — before Kevin Brophy’s one-hopper became an inning-killing double play.
Freshman right-hander Ty Madden (4-1) allowed two runs on six hits over six innings for Texas.
WVU trailed 3-1 after second baseman Tyler Doanes whiffed on a potential double-play grounder in the third inning.
Strowd’s leadoff walk in the second inning scored when Ford went deep to right-field.
Singles by Marques Inman and Ivan Gonzalez preceded Phillip Dull’s RBI-groundout in the second inning to give West Virginia a 1-0 lead.
In the race for the final Big 12 tournament slot — essentially a race to avoid finishing last —the Longhorns lead Kansas by percentage points. Coincidentally, they’re still viewed as an NCAA bubble team.
“I’m not going to ever say a win out, but I don’t think we have a lot of room for error,” Texas coach David Pierce said.
