Donato Throws Shutout in Series Finale[/B]
WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 29, 2015) - Sophomore right-hander Chad Donato of the WVU baseball team threw a complete-game shutout to defeat Charleston Southern, 8-0, on Sunday afternoon at CONSOL Energy Park.
The win completed the three-game series sweep and West Virginia (15-10) has now won six games in arrow. The Mountaineers finished with eight runs on eight hits with no errors, while Charleston Southern (12-13) had no runs on five hits with one error.
"We left him in there to pitch the ninth to get his endurance up because he was very efficient today," coach Randy Mazey said of Donato. "We needed to get his pitch count up because in conference there are going to be times when he needs to throw 120 or 125 pitches. We're trying to get him prepared for that and we don't want him to do it for the first time during conference play.
Donato (4-3) allowed five hits, all singles, with four strikeouts and no walks in nine innings. Donato did not allow more than four batters in any inning.
"Our pitching philosophy is command your fastball and throw your offspeed pitches for strikes, and he is the epitome of it," Mazey said. "He is living proof that the philosophy works if you can execute."
Freshman second baseman Kyle Davis, freshman first baseman Shaun Corso and sophomore right fielder Shaun Wood all had two hits, with Wood scoring three runs. Senior left fielder Brad Johnson drove in two runs and sophomore catcher Ray Guerrini scored two runs.
"It takes a little while for hitters to get into a groove and we've been swinging it pretty well the last 10 or 15 games, so this isn't by accident, we have some pretty good hitters in the lineup," Mazey said. "Now that we've been outside playing a bunch they're starting to get into a rhythm."
Senior shortstop Taylor Munden and senior third baseman Justin Fox were hit by pitches to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Both players advanced on a wild pitch and then were driven in by a double to right center field by Johnson.
West Virginia scored three runs to extend the lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Wood and Guerrini walked to begin the inning, and Wood scored as senior designated hitter Cam O'Brien reached on an error. A sacrifice fly to right center field by freshman right fielder Caleb Potter plated Guerrini, and Corso hit an RBI single through the left side to score O'Brien.
Wood made it 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning with his fourth home run of the season, a solo blast over the right field fence and out of the ballpark.
Corso added two more RBIs to make it 8-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning with a two-run double down the left field line, scoring Wood and Guerrini.
West Virginia will travel for a midweek game at Pitt on Tuesday, March 31. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The game can be heard throughout the state on 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 WVUsports.com/audio.
WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 29, 2015) - Sophomore right-hander Chad Donato of the WVU baseball team threw a complete-game shutout to defeat Charleston Southern, 8-0, on Sunday afternoon at CONSOL Energy Park.
The win completed the three-game series sweep and West Virginia (15-10) has now won six games in arrow. The Mountaineers finished with eight runs on eight hits with no errors, while Charleston Southern (12-13) had no runs on five hits with one error.
"We left him in there to pitch the ninth to get his endurance up because he was very efficient today," coach Randy Mazey said of Donato. "We needed to get his pitch count up because in conference there are going to be times when he needs to throw 120 or 125 pitches. We're trying to get him prepared for that and we don't want him to do it for the first time during conference play.
Donato (4-3) allowed five hits, all singles, with four strikeouts and no walks in nine innings. Donato did not allow more than four batters in any inning.
"Our pitching philosophy is command your fastball and throw your offspeed pitches for strikes, and he is the epitome of it," Mazey said. "He is living proof that the philosophy works if you can execute."
Freshman second baseman Kyle Davis, freshman first baseman Shaun Corso and sophomore right fielder Shaun Wood all had two hits, with Wood scoring three runs. Senior left fielder Brad Johnson drove in two runs and sophomore catcher Ray Guerrini scored two runs.
"It takes a little while for hitters to get into a groove and we've been swinging it pretty well the last 10 or 15 games, so this isn't by accident, we have some pretty good hitters in the lineup," Mazey said. "Now that we've been outside playing a bunch they're starting to get into a rhythm."
Senior shortstop Taylor Munden and senior third baseman Justin Fox were hit by pitches to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Both players advanced on a wild pitch and then were driven in by a double to right center field by Johnson.
West Virginia scored three runs to extend the lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Wood and Guerrini walked to begin the inning, and Wood scored as senior designated hitter Cam O'Brien reached on an error. A sacrifice fly to right center field by freshman right fielder Caleb Potter plated Guerrini, and Corso hit an RBI single through the left side to score O'Brien.
Wood made it 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning with his fourth home run of the season, a solo blast over the right field fence and out of the ballpark.
Corso added two more RBIs to make it 8-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning with a two-run double down the left field line, scoring Wood and Guerrini.
West Virginia will travel for a midweek game at Pitt on Tuesday, March 31. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The game can be heard throughout the state on 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 WVUsports.com/audio.
