MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 25, 2022) – The West Virginia University baseball team took down Youngstown State, 9-3, and, 13-2, during a doubleheader on Friday at Wagener Field at Monongalia County Ballpark.
With the wins, the Mountaineers completed a three-game sweep over the Penguins. WVU collected eight hits in each game, stole 11 bases in Game 2 and allowed just five runs on 10 hits in 18 innings on the mound to close out the series.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Ben Hampton earned the win in Game 1, bolstering his record to 4-1 on the year, while junior right-hander Jacob Watters was awarded Game 2’s victory, improving his overall mark to 2-1.
“It was a great game for the Mountaineers,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “We had 11 stolen bases, Watters did a great job of establishing himself as a starter, and all the relievers attacked the strike zone. These were three really good wins for us, and we’ll be ready for our midweek game next week.”
In Game 1, the Mountaineers (13-8) plated two runs in the first to take a 2-0 lead. The early advantage came after a YSU wild pitch and throwing error.
From there, Hampton cruised on the mound. The De Pere, Wisconsin, native retired nine batters in a row at one point, before the Penguins got on the board in the fourth, cutting their deficit in half at 2-1.
In the fifth, freshman infielder Grant Hussey hit the first of his two homers, a two-run laser beam over the right-field wall. That made it a 4-1 ballgame.
After Youngstown State (9-14) got one back with a solo homer in the top of the sixth, sophomore infielder Mikey Kluska’s bunt single scored another WVU run, bumping it back to 5-2. Then, Hussey hit his second big fly – another two-run shot – in the seventh to break the game open. The homer was part of a four-run frame, which also saw redshirt senior catcher Vince Ippoliti hit an RBI triple, while freshman outfielder Tyler Cox notched a sacrifice fly.
WVU led, 9-2, after seven innings.
On the mound, Hampton finished with five strikeouts in 7.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits on 100 pitches. The outing marked his fourth quality start in a row.
Hussey finished 2-for-4 with the two homers and four RBI. Junior outfielder Victor Scott II and Ippoliti also recorded a pair of hits in the win.
Later, West Virginia completed the series sweep with a rout in Game 2. The squad again scored two in the first on a YSU throwing error and sacrifice fly, before Kluska’s RBI groundout in the second made it 3-0.
WVU tacked on three more in the third, thanks to a pair of Penguins errors, as well as Ippoliti’s RBI single to right center.
The Mountaineers led, 6-0, after three.
Meanwhile, Watters logged 5.0, scoreless innings and did not allow a hit in his second start of the campaign. The Rocky Gap, Virginia, native struck out five and walked five on 79 pitches.
After YSU scored a pair in the top of the sixth, the Mountaineers answered with seven runs in the bottom of the frame. First, freshman infielder JJ Wetherholt hit a three-run double, before two other runs scored on a wild pitch and bases-loaded walk.
Then, freshman outfielder Evan Smith capped the big inning with a two-run double to make it 13-2. In all, WVU sent 13 hitters to the plate in the frame.
Wetherholt finished 2-for-5 with three runs scored, four RBI and four stolen bases in Game 2, while Scott II also swiped four bags in the second game. Of note, WVU’s 11 stolen bases are its most in a single game in the Big 12 era.
Additionally, Smith went 2-for-4 with two RBI at the plate.
With the wins, the Mountaineers improved to 6-1 at home this season. The squad also has now won eight straight over Youngstown State, dating back to 2013.
Next up, WVU hits the road for a game at Marshall on Tuesday, March 29, in Huntington, West Virginia. First pitch at the Kennedy Center YMCA is set for 3 p.m. ET.
With the wins, the Mountaineers completed a three-game sweep over the Penguins. WVU collected eight hits in each game, stole 11 bases in Game 2 and allowed just five runs on 10 hits in 18 innings on the mound to close out the series.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Ben Hampton earned the win in Game 1, bolstering his record to 4-1 on the year, while junior right-hander Jacob Watters was awarded Game 2’s victory, improving his overall mark to 2-1.
“It was a great game for the Mountaineers,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “We had 11 stolen bases, Watters did a great job of establishing himself as a starter, and all the relievers attacked the strike zone. These were three really good wins for us, and we’ll be ready for our midweek game next week.”
In Game 1, the Mountaineers (13-8) plated two runs in the first to take a 2-0 lead. The early advantage came after a YSU wild pitch and throwing error.
From there, Hampton cruised on the mound. The De Pere, Wisconsin, native retired nine batters in a row at one point, before the Penguins got on the board in the fourth, cutting their deficit in half at 2-1.
In the fifth, freshman infielder Grant Hussey hit the first of his two homers, a two-run laser beam over the right-field wall. That made it a 4-1 ballgame.
After Youngstown State (9-14) got one back with a solo homer in the top of the sixth, sophomore infielder Mikey Kluska’s bunt single scored another WVU run, bumping it back to 5-2. Then, Hussey hit his second big fly – another two-run shot – in the seventh to break the game open. The homer was part of a four-run frame, which also saw redshirt senior catcher Vince Ippoliti hit an RBI triple, while freshman outfielder Tyler Cox notched a sacrifice fly.
WVU led, 9-2, after seven innings.
On the mound, Hampton finished with five strikeouts in 7.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits on 100 pitches. The outing marked his fourth quality start in a row.
Hussey finished 2-for-4 with the two homers and four RBI. Junior outfielder Victor Scott II and Ippoliti also recorded a pair of hits in the win.
Later, West Virginia completed the series sweep with a rout in Game 2. The squad again scored two in the first on a YSU throwing error and sacrifice fly, before Kluska’s RBI groundout in the second made it 3-0.
WVU tacked on three more in the third, thanks to a pair of Penguins errors, as well as Ippoliti’s RBI single to right center.
The Mountaineers led, 6-0, after three.
Meanwhile, Watters logged 5.0, scoreless innings and did not allow a hit in his second start of the campaign. The Rocky Gap, Virginia, native struck out five and walked five on 79 pitches.
After YSU scored a pair in the top of the sixth, the Mountaineers answered with seven runs in the bottom of the frame. First, freshman infielder JJ Wetherholt hit a three-run double, before two other runs scored on a wild pitch and bases-loaded walk.
Then, freshman outfielder Evan Smith capped the big inning with a two-run double to make it 13-2. In all, WVU sent 13 hitters to the plate in the frame.
Wetherholt finished 2-for-5 with three runs scored, four RBI and four stolen bases in Game 2, while Scott II also swiped four bags in the second game. Of note, WVU’s 11 stolen bases are its most in a single game in the Big 12 era.
Additionally, Smith went 2-for-4 with two RBI at the plate.
With the wins, the Mountaineers improved to 6-1 at home this season. The squad also has now won eight straight over Youngstown State, dating back to 2013.
Next up, WVU hits the road for a game at Marshall on Tuesday, March 29, in Huntington, West Virginia. First pitch at the Kennedy Center YMCA is set for 3 p.m. ET.
