OKLAHOMA CITY — In the prior meetings, Texas Tech won a three-game road set against West Virginia thanks to a series of one-run victories back in May.
The same storyline held true as the top-seeded Red Raiders and No. 4 Mountaineers kept things interesting for a majority of an elimination game Friday as part of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
But a bizarre play in the final inning proved to be a game-changer.
After a one-out rally in the top of ninth — spurred on by a Ryan Long fielding error in which a ball went under his glove in right field — West Virginia knotted things up at 6-6 and forced extra innings against third-ranked Texas Tech.