AUSTIN, Texas – No. 2 Baseball fell to West Virginia, 5-4, in the series opener on Thursday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Cam Williams went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a walk, while Zach Zubia singled and walked to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 27 games.
West Virginia (23-23, 8-14) jumped out in front in the first with a two-run home run for the early lead.
Texas (38-13, 15-7) responded in their half of the first, plating a pair of runs to even the score at two apiece. With one out, Mitchell Daly ripped the first pitch he saw into left-center for a double then moved to third on a wild pitch. Ivan Melendez worked a four-pitch walk to put runners on the corners and Williams followed with a double down the left-field line to bring home both runners.
West Virginia answered with a leadoff home run in the fifth to take back the lead, then tacked on an unearned run in the sixth to make it 5-3.
The Longhorns added a run in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-4 when Silas Ardoin singled through the right side and came all the way around to score after a throwing error on an Eric Kennedy bunt single.
Starter Ty Madden struck out nine batters in six innings of work, allowing four earned runs while surrendering seven hits and one walk.
Tanner Witt was dominant in relief, pitching a perfect seventh, eighth and ninth with five strikeouts, fanning five of the final six batters he faced.
Texas and West Virginia will resume the series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday at 6:30 p.m.