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WVU Release Dominant Major Leads WVU to Backyard Brawl Win

Keenan Cummings

Fact Based and Wonderful
Staff
Sep 16, 2007
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Dominant Major Leads WVU to Backyard Brawl Win

LINK: https://wvusports.co/3wmnS5Z
BOX SCORE: https://wvusports.co/3PnSFbA
SEASON STATS: https://wvusports.co/3P99AOS
RANDY MAZEY POSTGAME: https://wvusports.co/3ytMuwA

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 10, 2022) – The West Virginia University baseball team used a dominant performance on the mound, mixed in with a trio of three-run innings to take down rival Pitt, 9-1, on Tuesday night at Wagener Field at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Aidan Major tossed six, no-hit frames for WVU (29-18), while the Mountaineers put three runs on the board in the first, fourth and seventh innings. Major earned the win, his second of the year, while Jonathan Bautista took the loss for Pitt (26-20).

The win secured the Backyard Brawl season series over the Panthers, 2-1.

“He’s getting a little better every time out,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said of Major. “If he continues to get better from here, then he’s going to have a really good future (at West Virginia).”

After Major retired UP in order in the top of the first, the Mountaineers struck for three runs to take an early lead. First, sophomore catcher McGwire Holbrook scored a pair with a base hit up the middle, before junior outfielder/left-handed pitcher Kevin Dowdell smacked an RBI double to score another run.

In the fourth, West Virginia doubled the lead with junior outfielder Victor Scott II’s three-run home run to right. The 409-foot blast marked the Powder Springs, Georgia, native’s sixth big fly of the year.

Major, meanwhile, put on a dazzling display on the mound. The Mill Hall, Pennsylvania, native didn’t allow a hit in six, strong innings. He struck out a career-high eight batters and walked two on 84 pitches.

Pitt didn’t record its first hit of the night until a solo homer in the top of the seventh. But sophomore outfielder Braden Barry bumped the WVU lead to 9-1 in the bottom half with the Mountaineers’ second three-run bomb of the evening.

Following Major’s exit, senior right-hander Zach Ottinger, freshman right-hander Michael Kilker and sophomore right-hander Carlson Reed finished the job with an inning each out of the bullpen. In all, the four Mountaineer hurlers combined to allow just two hits on the night.

At the plate, senior outfielder Austin Davis and freshman infielder JJ Wetherholt each enjoyed two-hit nights, while Barry and Scott II led the way with three RBI each. Holbrook added two RBI in the win.

Additionally, Davis stole his 61st career base on Tuesday, moving him into a tie for No. 2 with Brandon White (2017-19) on WVU’s all-time list in the category. Scott II also stole a bag, the 60th of his career.

With the victory, WVU has now won 31 of its last 33 midweek, home games in Morgantown. The squad also scored its ninth win over Pitt in its last 11 meetings.

Up next, the Mountaineers hit the road and return to Big 12 Conference play with a three-game series at No. 21 Oklahoma from May 13-15, in Norman. First pitch of Friday night’s series opener is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
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