West Virginia will travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to take on Oklahoma State in a three-game series this weekend. They will play Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to open conference play. WVU head coach Steve Sabins will return to where he played one season in college and became a graduate assistant after finishing his playing career. He was a grad assistant from 2012-13, a player development coordinator in 2014, and a volunteer assistant in 2015 before becoming an assistant coach at WVU in 2016. There is some familiarity for Sabins, but the team will have to adjust after starting with an easier schedule. Read more: WVU Baseball: Series Preview vs. Oklahoma State
The team will have to announce a 30-man roster before Friday’s game, and 10 players will not be able to participate in the weekend series. Sabins has to make some decisions, but he has had ample opportunity to see all the players in action. The 30-man roster can change before each series, but it cannot change during the series.
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WVU Baseball: Series Preview vs. Oklahoma State
West Virginia suffered their first loss of the season on March 8 vs. Kennesaw State. They are now 15-1, while Oklahoma State is 9-7. The Mountaineers have played Jacksonville, Lipscomb, Ohio, Queens, Kennesaw State, and Towson, so the strength of schedule is not very high. Oklahoma State has played a much more difficult strength of schedule. They opened the season with Clemson, Louisville, and Texas, going 1-2 and beating Louisville. Their other losses are to Texas State, Tennessee, Winthrop, and Illinois State.
WVU ranks 23rd with a .327 team batting average. Oklahoma State ranks 131st with a .280 average as a team but has faced stiffer competition. This series will be a litmus test for WVU, as Oklahoma State ranks 40th in the nation with an ERA of 3.76. The Mountaineers rank 16th with an ERA of 3.21. Getting guys on base will be imperative for WVU. They rank 15th in the nation with 42 stolen bases but have been caught stealing 11 times. The Mountaineers rank 63rd in the nation, with a .418 on-base percentage, so they should be able to get baserunners but need to get them in scoring position against a tougher pitching staff. They rank 17th in sacrifice flies, with 14, and they will need more to put runs on the board.
West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State Game Times
Game 1: Friday, March 14
- Start Time: 7 p.m. ET
- WVU Starter: TBA
- Oklahoma State Starter: TBA
- Watch: ESPN+
Game 2: Saturday, March 15
- Start Time: 7 p.m. ET
- WVU Starter: TBA
- Oklahoma State Starter: TBA
- Watch: ESPN+
Game 3: Sunday, March 16
- Start Time: 2 p.m. ET
- WVU Starter: TBA
- Oklahoma State Starter: TBA
- Watch: ESPN+
The games will be played in O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater. The Cowboys have played their last five games at home and will be comfortable. The Mountaineers will need to play their best ball to start conference play, but their best players must step up against tougher pitchers. Brodie Kresser (.404 average) must perform in the lead-off spot. Logan Suave (.339 average) and Sam White (.383 average) should put the ball in play and give the Mountaineers chances to score runs, even if they do not get hits in every at-bat. It should be an exciting series and a true test for WVU to see how they stack up against stiffer competition.
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WVU Baseball: Series Preview vs. Oklahoma State
West Virginia suffered their first loss of the season on March 8 vs. Kennesaw State. They are now 15-1, while Oklahoma State is 9-7. The Mountaineers have played Jacksonville, Lipscomb, Ohio, Queens, Kennesaw State, and Towson, so the strength of schedule is not very high. Oklahoma State has played a much more difficult strength of schedule. They opened the season with Clemson, Louisville, and Texas, going 1-2 and beating Louisville. Their other losses are to Texas State, Tennessee, Winthrop, and Illinois State.
WVU ranks 23rd with a .327 team batting average. Oklahoma State ranks 131st with a .280 average as a team but has faced stiffer competition. This series will be a litmus test for WVU, as Oklahoma State ranks 40th in the nation with an ERA of 3.76. The Mountaineers rank 16th with an ERA of 3.21. Getting guys on base will be imperative for WVU. They rank 15th in the nation with 42 stolen bases but have been caught stealing 11 times. The Mountaineers rank 63rd in the nation, with a .418 on-base percentage, so they should be able to get baserunners but need to get them in scoring position against a tougher pitching staff. They rank 17th in sacrifice flies, with 14, and they will need more to put runs on the board.
West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State Game Times
Game 1: Friday, March 14
- Start Time: 7 p.m. ET
- WVU Starter: TBA
- Oklahoma State Starter: TBA
- Watch: ESPN+
Game 2: Saturday, March 15
- Start Time: 7 p.m. ET
- WVU Starter: TBA
- Oklahoma State Starter: TBA
- Watch: ESPN+
Game 3: Sunday, March 16
- Start Time: 2 p.m. ET
- WVU Starter: TBA
- Oklahoma State Starter: TBA
- Watch: ESPN+
The games will be played in O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater. The Cowboys have played their last five games at home and will be comfortable. The Mountaineers will need to play their best ball to start conference play, but their best players must step up against tougher pitchers. Brodie Kresser (.404 average) must perform in the lead-off spot. Logan Suave (.339 average) and Sam White (.383 average) should put the ball in play and give the Mountaineers chances to score runs, even if they do not get hits in every at-bat. It should be an exciting series and a true test for WVU to see how they stack up against stiffer competition.