MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 24, 2022) – The West Virginia University baseball team opened a three-game series against Youngstown State with a 6-4 win on Thursday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.
The Mountaineers trailed, 4-1, at one point but scored the final five runs of the game to earn the victory. WVU tallied one run in the first, one in the third, two in the fifth and one each in the seventh and eighth.
Fifth-year senior right-handed pitcher Zach Bravo earned the win out of the bullpen, the first of his WVU career, while fifth-year senior right-hander Trey Braithwaite nailed down his first Mountaineer save. YSU’s Lane Rhodes took the loss.
“This is how we win,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “We run and force the defense to do things. When guys are on base – even when they don’t steal – they force the pitcher to do different things. If we’re going to win, then you’re always going to have to keep an eye on us on the bases.”
After freshman right-hander Michael Kilker pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, freshman infielder JJ Wetherholt gave WVU a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the bottom half.
From there, though, the Penguins struck for three runs in the second and another in the third to take a 4-1 lead. The Mountaineers got one back in the bottom of the third with freshman infielder Grant Hussey’s sacrifice fly to left.
Later, WVU tied the game at 4 in the bottom of the fifth. First, senior outfielder Austin Davis scored on a wild pitch, before sophomore catcher McGwire Holbrook drew a bases-loaded walk to even the score line.
Meanwhile, the WVU bullpen provided plenty of stability following Kilker’s exit after two innings. Freshman right-hander Chris Sleeper allowed one run on two hits in three innings, while Bravo fanned three while yielding just one hit in two frames.
WVU took the lead in the bottom of the seventh after junior outfielder Victor Scott II created a run on the basepaths. After walking, the Powder Springs, Georgia, native advanced to second on a balk and headed for third after a fly ball to center field. Then, he stole home, giving the Mountaineers a 5-4 lead.
West Virginia added an insurance run in the eighth when redshirt junior infielder Tevin Tucker used a sacrifice bunt to plate sophomore outfielder Braden Barry, extending the lead to two.
Then, Braithwaite slammed the door in the ninth to finish off the win. The Winchester, Virginia, native struck out four batters in two innings of work in the back end of the Mountaineer bullpen.
Wetherholt finished with two of WVU’s five hits on the night, while Davis, Scott II and Barry also recorded hits.
The win marked West Virginia’s sixth in a row over YSU, dating back to 2013. The victory also moved the Mountaineers to 4-1 at home this season.
Next up, the two squads conclude the series with a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 11 a.m. ET. Game 2 will begin approximately 40 minutes following the conclusion of Game 1. The shift comes due to expected inclement weather in the Morgantown area this weekend.
Of note, Saturday’s game is now canceled.
Tickets to Friday’s originally-scheduled matchup will be good for both games of the twin bill. Additionally, fans with tickets to Saturday’s game can exchange them at Gate A of Monongalia County Ballpark for Friday’s doubleheader. Those with tickets to Saturday’s game who are unable to attend Friday's contests can exchange them for tickets to a future home game this season at Gate A of the ballpark, the Mountaineer Ticket Office or by calling 1-800-WVU-GAME.
The Mountaineers trailed, 4-1, at one point but scored the final five runs of the game to earn the victory. WVU tallied one run in the first, one in the third, two in the fifth and one each in the seventh and eighth.
Fifth-year senior right-handed pitcher Zach Bravo earned the win out of the bullpen, the first of his WVU career, while fifth-year senior right-hander Trey Braithwaite nailed down his first Mountaineer save. YSU’s Lane Rhodes took the loss.
“This is how we win,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “We run and force the defense to do things. When guys are on base – even when they don’t steal – they force the pitcher to do different things. If we’re going to win, then you’re always going to have to keep an eye on us on the bases.”
After freshman right-hander Michael Kilker pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, freshman infielder JJ Wetherholt gave WVU a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the bottom half.
From there, though, the Penguins struck for three runs in the second and another in the third to take a 4-1 lead. The Mountaineers got one back in the bottom of the third with freshman infielder Grant Hussey’s sacrifice fly to left.
Later, WVU tied the game at 4 in the bottom of the fifth. First, senior outfielder Austin Davis scored on a wild pitch, before sophomore catcher McGwire Holbrook drew a bases-loaded walk to even the score line.
Meanwhile, the WVU bullpen provided plenty of stability following Kilker’s exit after two innings. Freshman right-hander Chris Sleeper allowed one run on two hits in three innings, while Bravo fanned three while yielding just one hit in two frames.
WVU took the lead in the bottom of the seventh after junior outfielder Victor Scott II created a run on the basepaths. After walking, the Powder Springs, Georgia, native advanced to second on a balk and headed for third after a fly ball to center field. Then, he stole home, giving the Mountaineers a 5-4 lead.
West Virginia added an insurance run in the eighth when redshirt junior infielder Tevin Tucker used a sacrifice bunt to plate sophomore outfielder Braden Barry, extending the lead to two.
Then, Braithwaite slammed the door in the ninth to finish off the win. The Winchester, Virginia, native struck out four batters in two innings of work in the back end of the Mountaineer bullpen.
Wetherholt finished with two of WVU’s five hits on the night, while Davis, Scott II and Barry also recorded hits.
The win marked West Virginia’s sixth in a row over YSU, dating back to 2013. The victory also moved the Mountaineers to 4-1 at home this season.
Next up, the two squads conclude the series with a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 11 a.m. ET. Game 2 will begin approximately 40 minutes following the conclusion of Game 1. The shift comes due to expected inclement weather in the Morgantown area this weekend.
Of note, Saturday’s game is now canceled.
Tickets to Friday’s originally-scheduled matchup will be good for both games of the twin bill. Additionally, fans with tickets to Saturday’s game can exchange them at Gate A of Monongalia County Ballpark for Friday’s doubleheader. Those with tickets to Saturday’s game who are unable to attend Friday's contests can exchange them for tickets to a future home game this season at Gate A of the ballpark, the Mountaineer Ticket Office or by calling 1-800-WVU-GAME.
