Baseball Drops Series with Saturday Loss to Kansas
GRANVILLE, W.Va. (April 25, 2015) – A five-run first inning by Kansas doomed the West Virginia University baseball team as it fell 9-5 to drop the series on Saturday afternoon at Monongalia County Ballpark.
“We went through a spell a few weeks ago where we were playing really well and things were going well,” coach Randy Mazey said. “Now we’re on the other side where we’re not playing all that well. That just happens in baseball over the course of a long season.”
Kansas took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first, scoring five unearned runs with two outs and the aid of two West Virginia errors. Dakota Smith opened the scoring with a two-run single to right center field, while Marcus Wheeler hit a three-run home run to left field in the next at bat.
West Virginia (23-17, 5-9 Big 12) finished with five runs on eight hits with two errors, and Kansas (19-24, 6-8 Big 12) had nine runs on 13 hits with no errors.
Junior left-hander Ross Vance (6-3) took the loss despite pitching quite effectively for six innings. He allowed five runs, all unearned, on eight hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. Vance was able to strand nine Kansas base runners.
“His first inning hasn’t been great all year. He fights his way through the first until he settles in,” Mazey said. “They did a good job, scored all five with two outs. One guy had two RBIs and another guy had three, and you have to credit the offense when stuff like that happens.”
Sophomore first baseman Jackson Cramer put West Virginia on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to right field. The blast was his seventh of the season.
Sophomore right fielder Shaun Wood cut the deficit to 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run home run to right field, his fifth of the season. The homer scored freshman second baseman Kyle Davis, who had reached on a fielder’s choice to third base.
West Virginia nearly tied the game in the bottom of the eighth when senior third baseman Justin Fox hit a fly ball to the right field warning track. The ball was bobbled and caught off the wall by Kansas right fielder Smith, who threw it in to second base and doubled up senior shortstop Taylor Munden.
Kansas added four two-out insurance runs in the top of the ninth to bring the score to 9-3. Pinch hitter Joven Afenir hit a two-run double down the right field line, Justin Protacio had an RBI single to left field and Connor McKay had an RBI double to right field.
The insurance runs proved to be important as Cramer and Wood each hit their second home runs of the game to right center field in the bottom of the ninth to cut the lead to 9-5.
Drew Morovick (4-3) gave up three runs on five hit with five strikeouts and one walk in the win for Kansas. Smith, Protacio, Wheeler and McKay all had multi-hit games for the Jayhwks.
West Virginia and Kansas return to action for the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game has been designated as Kid’s Day, where kids 12 and under can run the bases and receive autographs following the game.
West Virginia will send sophomore right-hander Chad Donato (5-4), while Kansas’ starter has yet to be announced.
The game will feature a free video stream, courtesy of Coca-Cola, on WVUsports.com while the radio broadcast can be heard throughout the state on Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG affiliates with Jeff Culhane and Ernie Galusky on the call. Additionally, fans can listen to the broadcast via the WVU Gameday App on their mobile device, as well as the TuneIn Radio App and the leanStream player at WVUsports.com/audio.
GRANVILLE, W.Va. (April 25, 2015) – A five-run first inning by Kansas doomed the West Virginia University baseball team as it fell 9-5 to drop the series on Saturday afternoon at Monongalia County Ballpark.
“We went through a spell a few weeks ago where we were playing really well and things were going well,” coach Randy Mazey said. “Now we’re on the other side where we’re not playing all that well. That just happens in baseball over the course of a long season.”
Kansas took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first, scoring five unearned runs with two outs and the aid of two West Virginia errors. Dakota Smith opened the scoring with a two-run single to right center field, while Marcus Wheeler hit a three-run home run to left field in the next at bat.
West Virginia (23-17, 5-9 Big 12) finished with five runs on eight hits with two errors, and Kansas (19-24, 6-8 Big 12) had nine runs on 13 hits with no errors.
Junior left-hander Ross Vance (6-3) took the loss despite pitching quite effectively for six innings. He allowed five runs, all unearned, on eight hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. Vance was able to strand nine Kansas base runners.
“His first inning hasn’t been great all year. He fights his way through the first until he settles in,” Mazey said. “They did a good job, scored all five with two outs. One guy had two RBIs and another guy had three, and you have to credit the offense when stuff like that happens.”
Sophomore first baseman Jackson Cramer put West Virginia on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to right field. The blast was his seventh of the season.
Sophomore right fielder Shaun Wood cut the deficit to 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run home run to right field, his fifth of the season. The homer scored freshman second baseman Kyle Davis, who had reached on a fielder’s choice to third base.
West Virginia nearly tied the game in the bottom of the eighth when senior third baseman Justin Fox hit a fly ball to the right field warning track. The ball was bobbled and caught off the wall by Kansas right fielder Smith, who threw it in to second base and doubled up senior shortstop Taylor Munden.
Kansas added four two-out insurance runs in the top of the ninth to bring the score to 9-3. Pinch hitter Joven Afenir hit a two-run double down the right field line, Justin Protacio had an RBI single to left field and Connor McKay had an RBI double to right field.
The insurance runs proved to be important as Cramer and Wood each hit their second home runs of the game to right center field in the bottom of the ninth to cut the lead to 9-5.
Drew Morovick (4-3) gave up three runs on five hit with five strikeouts and one walk in the win for Kansas. Smith, Protacio, Wheeler and McKay all had multi-hit games for the Jayhwks.
West Virginia and Kansas return to action for the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game has been designated as Kid’s Day, where kids 12 and under can run the bases and receive autographs following the game.
West Virginia will send sophomore right-hander Chad Donato (5-4), while Kansas’ starter has yet to be announced.
The game will feature a free video stream, courtesy of Coca-Cola, on WVUsports.com while the radio broadcast can be heard throughout the state on Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG affiliates with Jeff Culhane and Ernie Galusky on the call. Additionally, fans can listen to the broadcast via the WVU Gameday App on their mobile device, as well as the TuneIn Radio App and the leanStream player at WVUsports.com/audio.
