MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 15, 2024) – Sophomore Skylar King’s late home run lifted the West Virginia University baseball team over Ohio State, 5-2, Friday evening at Kendrick Family Ballpark. The Mountaineers improve to 11-7 while the Buckeyes fall to 8-8.
With the score tied at two in the seventh inning, King stepped up to the plate and after showing bunt on the first pitch, squared up a fastball and sent it over the right-field wall for a three-run home run, propelling WVU to the victory.
King finished the night 2-for-3 as did junior Kyle West. Freshman Michael Perazza and sophomore Benjamin Lumsden each drove in a run for the Mountaineers on the night.
Junior Aidan Major matched a career-high with nine strikeouts on the mound in 6.0 innings. Sophomore Gavin Van Kempen earned the win, striking out the only batter he faced with the bases loaded in the seventh. Redshirt-sophomore David Hagaman picked up his first save of the season with six strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work.
The Mountaineers took an early lead with a run in the first on a double by Lumsden, but Ohio State jumped out in front with the two runs in the third.
West Virginia struggled for most of the game against Ohio State starter Landon Beidelschies who struck out 12 in 6.1 innings, the most by a starter against WVU since Mason Montgomery of Texas Tech struck out a dozen in 2021.
In the seventh, the Mountaineers finally got to Beidelschies as senior Reed Chumley doubled to lead off the inning and West singled to set up first-and-third for Perazza, who grounded out to second, bringing the tying run home. The Buckeyes then brought in a reliever and after a walk to junior Brodie Kresser, King delivered with his second home run of the season.
Hagaman finished the night by striking out the side in the eighth and punching out three more in the ninth.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday for game two of the series. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
With the score tied at two in the seventh inning, King stepped up to the plate and after showing bunt on the first pitch, squared up a fastball and sent it over the right-field wall for a three-run home run, propelling WVU to the victory.
King finished the night 2-for-3 as did junior Kyle West. Freshman Michael Perazza and sophomore Benjamin Lumsden each drove in a run for the Mountaineers on the night.
Junior Aidan Major matched a career-high with nine strikeouts on the mound in 6.0 innings. Sophomore Gavin Van Kempen earned the win, striking out the only batter he faced with the bases loaded in the seventh. Redshirt-sophomore David Hagaman picked up his first save of the season with six strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work.
The Mountaineers took an early lead with a run in the first on a double by Lumsden, but Ohio State jumped out in front with the two runs in the third.
West Virginia struggled for most of the game against Ohio State starter Landon Beidelschies who struck out 12 in 6.1 innings, the most by a starter against WVU since Mason Montgomery of Texas Tech struck out a dozen in 2021.
In the seventh, the Mountaineers finally got to Beidelschies as senior Reed Chumley doubled to lead off the inning and West singled to set up first-and-third for Perazza, who grounded out to second, bringing the tying run home. The Buckeyes then brought in a reliever and after a walk to junior Brodie Kresser, King delivered with his second home run of the season.
Hagaman finished the night by striking out the side in the eighth and punching out three more in the ninth.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday for game two of the series. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
