Baseball Hosts Kansas in Big 12 Action
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (April 23, 2015) – The West Virginia University baseball team will host Kansas in a key Big 12 series from April 24-26 at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Friday’s opener will begin at 6 p.m., Saturday’s game is set for 4 p.m. and Sunday’s finale is at 1 p.m.
There will be a postgame fireworks show courtesy of Coca-Cola on Friday. Sunday’s game has been designated as Kid’s Day, where kids 12 and under can run the bases and receive autographs following the game.
The entire series will feature a free video stream, courtesy of Coca-Cola. The game can be heard on the affiliates of the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG 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. WVUsports.com also will carry free live audio via the LeanStream Player at WVUsports.com/audio.
West Virginia (23-15, 5-7 Big 12) is currently in sixth place in the Big 12 standings, while Kansas (17-24, 4-8 Big 12) is in ninth place, but only one game out of sixth place.
“The biggest concern for me is that people are going to look at them and say they are in last place in the league, and think they’re not that good,” coach Randy Mazey said. “That’s not the case at all. I’ve had some people tell me they are the best team they’ve played this year. They just had some bad luck on the mound early in the season. Now they’re pitching better and when it matches up with their hitting, this team is super dangerous.”
West Virginia defeated Marshall, 3-2, on Tuesday evening. The pitching staff held Marshall to just two hits, while striking out 14 batters. Senior shortstop Taylor Munden and freshman second baseman Kyle Davis helped the Mountaineers to victory with back-to-back solo home runs in the third inning.
Davis has a team-leading .365 batting average with 15 doubles, four homers and 25 RBIs, while recording a Big-12 leading 20 multi-hit games. Munden leads the team and the Big 12 with nine home runs to go along with a .280 batting average, nine doubles and 24 RBIs.
Mazey will start freshman right-hander BJ Myers (2-2, 3.42 ERA) on Friday, junior left-hander Ross Vance (6-2, 3.15 ERA) on Saturday and sophomore right-hander Chad Donato (5-4, 2.69 ERA) on Sunday.
In his first career Big 12 start last Friday against No. 23 Oklahoma, Myers allowed two runs on four hits with a career-high 10 strikeouts and four walks in 7.2 innings.
Kansas coach Ritch Price will counter with junior left-hander Ben Krauth (5-3, 4.09 ERA) on Friday and senior right-hander Drew Morovick (3-3, 4.83 ERA) on Saturday, while Sunday’s starter has not been announced.
As a team, the Jayhawks are hitting .281 with 76 doubles, eight triples and 25 home runs, while the pitching staff has posted a 5.93 ERA, striking out 243 batters in 364.1 innings.
“They’re so experienced in that lineup,” Mazey said. “They have a lot of older kids in there that have been around the block awhile and that always scares you. They’re not going to come in here and get wowed by the facility. Older guys give you a calming effect. They’re playing really well lately.”
Senior outfielder Connor McKay leads Kansas at the plate, batting .349 with 13 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 17 RBIs, while sophomore catcher Michael Tinsley is hitting .345 with 14 doubles, three home runs and 34 RBIs. Senior outfielder Dakota Smith and senior outfielder Blair Beck are tied for the team lead with six home runs apiece.
The all-time series is tied at 4-4. West Virginia swept Kansas at home in 2013, and Kansas swept West Virginia at home in 2014. The Mountaineers fell to the Jayhawks in the 2013 Big 12 Tournament, while WVU won a rematch in the tournament in 2014.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (April 23, 2015) – The West Virginia University baseball team will host Kansas in a key Big 12 series from April 24-26 at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Friday’s opener will begin at 6 p.m., Saturday’s game is set for 4 p.m. and Sunday’s finale is at 1 p.m.
There will be a postgame fireworks show courtesy of Coca-Cola on Friday. Sunday’s game has been designated as Kid’s Day, where kids 12 and under can run the bases and receive autographs following the game.
The entire series will feature a free video stream, courtesy of Coca-Cola. The game can be heard on the affiliates of the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG 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. WVUsports.com also will carry free live audio via the LeanStream Player at WVUsports.com/audio.
West Virginia (23-15, 5-7 Big 12) is currently in sixth place in the Big 12 standings, while Kansas (17-24, 4-8 Big 12) is in ninth place, but only one game out of sixth place.
“The biggest concern for me is that people are going to look at them and say they are in last place in the league, and think they’re not that good,” coach Randy Mazey said. “That’s not the case at all. I’ve had some people tell me they are the best team they’ve played this year. They just had some bad luck on the mound early in the season. Now they’re pitching better and when it matches up with their hitting, this team is super dangerous.”
West Virginia defeated Marshall, 3-2, on Tuesday evening. The pitching staff held Marshall to just two hits, while striking out 14 batters. Senior shortstop Taylor Munden and freshman second baseman Kyle Davis helped the Mountaineers to victory with back-to-back solo home runs in the third inning.
Davis has a team-leading .365 batting average with 15 doubles, four homers and 25 RBIs, while recording a Big-12 leading 20 multi-hit games. Munden leads the team and the Big 12 with nine home runs to go along with a .280 batting average, nine doubles and 24 RBIs.
Mazey will start freshman right-hander BJ Myers (2-2, 3.42 ERA) on Friday, junior left-hander Ross Vance (6-2, 3.15 ERA) on Saturday and sophomore right-hander Chad Donato (5-4, 2.69 ERA) on Sunday.
In his first career Big 12 start last Friday against No. 23 Oklahoma, Myers allowed two runs on four hits with a career-high 10 strikeouts and four walks in 7.2 innings.
Kansas coach Ritch Price will counter with junior left-hander Ben Krauth (5-3, 4.09 ERA) on Friday and senior right-hander Drew Morovick (3-3, 4.83 ERA) on Saturday, while Sunday’s starter has not been announced.
As a team, the Jayhawks are hitting .281 with 76 doubles, eight triples and 25 home runs, while the pitching staff has posted a 5.93 ERA, striking out 243 batters in 364.1 innings.
“They’re so experienced in that lineup,” Mazey said. “They have a lot of older kids in there that have been around the block awhile and that always scares you. They’re not going to come in here and get wowed by the facility. Older guys give you a calming effect. They’re playing really well lately.”
Senior outfielder Connor McKay leads Kansas at the plate, batting .349 with 13 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 17 RBIs, while sophomore catcher Michael Tinsley is hitting .345 with 14 doubles, three home runs and 34 RBIs. Senior outfielder Dakota Smith and senior outfielder Blair Beck are tied for the team lead with six home runs apiece.
The all-time series is tied at 4-4. West Virginia swept Kansas at home in 2013, and Kansas swept West Virginia at home in 2014. The Mountaineers fell to the Jayhawks in the 2013 Big 12 Tournament, while WVU won a rematch in the tournament in 2014.
