CORVALIS, Ore. — Kade Strowd carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and West Virginia rode solo homers from Kevin Brophy and Paul McIntosh to knock off No. 6 Oregon State, 2-0, on Sunday.
Tyler Doanes added two hits, while Sam Kessler and Beau Lowery provided steady relief work as the Mountaineers improved to 6-5 after losing the first two games of the weekend series.
The Beavers’ record slipped to 10-1 because they failed to capitalize on nine walks by Strowd (1-1), who coaxed four double plays and lowered his ERA to 1.14.
He fanned five batters over 6 1/3 innings, giving up one hit.
“With men on base, he was really good,” West Virginia coach Randy Mazey said. “He gave up nine walks in six innings — you hardly ever win when you do that. When they got guys on base, he threw his good stuff down in the zone and our young infield turned some really nice double plays.”
After yielding Oregon State’s first hit to Beau Philip leading off the seventh, Strowd walked Tyler Malone and struck out Andy Armstrong. When WVU’s right-hander left after 105 pitches, Lowery came on and needed just three pitches to induce an inning-ending double play.
Kessler pitched the final two innings, circumventing two hits with three strikeouts for his second save.
Oregon State starter Sam Tweedt (1-1) was victimized in the second inning by Brophy’s leadoff homer to right field. McIntosh followed with a two-out shot to left.
It was the first homer this season for Brophy and McIntosh, who entered Sunday having gone a combined 4-for-40.
Tweedt left after 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, one walk and striking out five.
