MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (September 14, 2018) – The West Virginia University baseball team commenced fall practice on Friday afternoon at Monongalia County Ballpark.
The Mountaineers’ first team practice of the fall was capped by an intersquad game, where the blue team defeated the gold team, 9-2. On a hot late afternoon in Morgantown, senior Andrew Zitel and freshman Philip Dull each had two hits to lead the blue team, while senior right fielder Darius Hill homered for the gold team.
WVU’s fall schedule, which features two exhibition games, continues until Oct. 26.
“We’re going to play a lot of intersquad games and we have two games against outside competition, and we need to see who can play where,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “You never know, going into our season, what spring practice is going to be like, and how many days you’re going to be able to get out and intersquad, so this fall, we have to play a lot. We have some new people playing in the infield, and we have to use the fall to figure out who fits in what spot the best.”
This fall, West Virginia will face in-state foe Marshall on Friday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. ET, and Pitt in the Backyard Brawl on Friday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. Both exhibition games will be played at Monongalia County Ballpark, and admission will be free for all fans.
WVU’s 2018 fall roster features 23 players from last year’s team and 15 newcomers. Eight returners were All-Big 12 Team honorees in 2018, including Hill, who was named to the ABCA East All-Region First Team and the All-Big 12 Second Team.
The 15 newcomers are part of the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history, which is rated No. 26 by Perfect Game.
“They all have shown positive signs, but they’re young, and they need to learn,” Mazey said of the newest Mountaineers. This is the best group of guys that we’ve had in terms of wanting to be good, their work ethic and desire. They’re all working really hard. They’re going to get an opportunity to play, because we need some guys to step up. Just like in life, you get opportunities, they don’t come along all that often, but you have to take advantage of them. They’re all going to get an opportunity to show what they can do.”
The Mountaineers are coming off a 29-27 season in 2018, and advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals for the third consecutive year. West Virginia earned an All-America accolade for the fourth consecutive season, while four Mountaineers were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Mountaineers’ first team practice of the fall was capped by an intersquad game, where the blue team defeated the gold team, 9-2. On a hot late afternoon in Morgantown, senior Andrew Zitel and freshman Philip Dull each had two hits to lead the blue team, while senior right fielder Darius Hill homered for the gold team.
WVU’s fall schedule, which features two exhibition games, continues until Oct. 26.
“We’re going to play a lot of intersquad games and we have two games against outside competition, and we need to see who can play where,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “You never know, going into our season, what spring practice is going to be like, and how many days you’re going to be able to get out and intersquad, so this fall, we have to play a lot. We have some new people playing in the infield, and we have to use the fall to figure out who fits in what spot the best.”
This fall, West Virginia will face in-state foe Marshall on Friday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. ET, and Pitt in the Backyard Brawl on Friday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. Both exhibition games will be played at Monongalia County Ballpark, and admission will be free for all fans.
WVU’s 2018 fall roster features 23 players from last year’s team and 15 newcomers. Eight returners were All-Big 12 Team honorees in 2018, including Hill, who was named to the ABCA East All-Region First Team and the All-Big 12 Second Team.
The 15 newcomers are part of the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history, which is rated No. 26 by Perfect Game.
“They all have shown positive signs, but they’re young, and they need to learn,” Mazey said of the newest Mountaineers. This is the best group of guys that we’ve had in terms of wanting to be good, their work ethic and desire. They’re all working really hard. They’re going to get an opportunity to play, because we need some guys to step up. Just like in life, you get opportunities, they don’t come along all that often, but you have to take advantage of them. They’re all going to get an opportunity to show what they can do.”
The Mountaineers are coming off a 29-27 season in 2018, and advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals for the third consecutive year. West Virginia earned an All-America accolade for the fourth consecutive season, while four Mountaineers were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
