WVU outduels KU baseball

By Staff Reports     Apr 27, 2013

? Brady Wilson’s RBI triple in the eighth finally put an end to the succession of zeros being thrown up, and that lone run gave West Virginia a 1-0 Big 12 baseball victory over Kansas University on Friday at Epling Stadium.

WVU’s Harrison Musgrave — the reigning collegiate national pitcher of the week — outdueled KU’s Thomas Taylor. Musgrave (6-1) threw a complete-game four-hitter and his second straight shutout as he ran his consecutive scoreless-inning streak to 25.

Taylor (4-1) surrendered just the one run off six hits over 71/3 innings.

“It was a typical Friday night in the Big 12 Conference. Both guys were really special,” Kansas coach Ritch Price said. “Musgrave is as good as advertised. I think that’s his third 1-0 win in conference play, but at the same time I’m really proud of the way Taylor competed.

“They had a few runners on base early in the game and he was able to get the third out a few different times and was able to keep it scoreless into the eighth. I thought he gave us an outstanding performance and an opportunity to win.”

Three of KU’s four hits were bunt singles.

Kansas fell to 25-16 overall, 9-7 in the Big 12. WVU improved to 25-18, 7-6.

“We had two opportunities to score and couldn’t get one sac bunt down, then had runners in scoring position at first and third and weren’t able to put the ball in play,” Price said. “I tip my cap to (Musgrave). I thought (we) had an opportunity to put us ahead there in the eighth and their guy made a huge pitch.”

Kansas relief ace Jordan Piché cleaned up a little mess with a runner in scoring position and one out in the eighth by inducing a ground-ball out and striking out the WVU clean-up hitter. The effort dropped his era to 0.46 on the season.

Due to a forecast of rain Sunday, the teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader at noon and 3 p.m. today.

Kansas 000 000 000 — 0 4 0

West Virginia 000 000 01x — 1 6 0

W — Harrison Musgrave, 6-1. L — Thomas Taylor, 4-1.

2B — Billy Fleming, WVa. 3B — Brady Wilson, WVa.

Kansas highlights — Connor McKay 2-for-3; Taylor 71/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 Ks.

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42513WVU outduels KU baseball