The West Virginia University baseball team improved to 17-1, defeating James Madison 11-1 in eight innings at Kendrick Family Ballpark on Tuesday for yet another win in what has been a scintillating first year for head coach Steve Sabins. Read Eight-run first innings spurs on WVU in 11-1 takedown of James Madison in eight innings below.
The Mountaineers (17-1) offense exploded in the first inning by plating eight runs, and the Dukes (7-13) did not have an answer, losing after they fell behind by 10 runs in the eighth inning.
Another Offensive Explosion
The Mountaineers loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning, as freshman catcher Gavin Kelly was hit by a pitch to score junior designated hitter Logan Sauve, followed by a walk from junior center fielder Skylar King as junior second baseman Sam White scored to give WVU two runs on just one hit.
READ: WVU BASEBALL SERIES PREVIEW
Redshirt junior third basemanChase Swain then made it 4-0 with a single up the middle to score Kelly and senior right fielder Jace Rinehart, before he then stole second allowing King to come home. While JMU pulled starting pitcher Tim Tyler, WVU didn’t stop hitting, as senior first baseman Grant Hussey homered to left center to drive in senior left fielder Kyle West as well as Swain. West Virginia then loaded the bases again but this time couldn’t score. All in all, WVU had three hits including a homer, six walks, two stolen bases and was hit by two pitches and led 8-0 after one inning.
JMU scored one run in the top of the third, but the score remained at 8-1 until the bottom of the sixth, when junior center fielder Ben Lumsden was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded as White crossed home plate for the ninth run.
Sophomore left fielder Michael Perazza added another with a sac fly in the seventh inning to score senior shortstop Brodie Kresser. Then, in the eighth inning freshman designated hitter Jorge Valdes singled to right field to score sophomore right fielder Armani Guzman to clinch the game, putting WVU up the requisite 10 runs to award them victory.
Walks
At the plate WVU hit 9-30 (.300), but also walked a season-high 11 times while being hit by five pitches, another season high. 15 of the 19 Mountaineer batters got into the game, with White’s 2-3 performance being the most hits on the team, while Hussey led the way with three RBI via his first-inning homer, the only WVU extra base hit on the night. Guzman also impressed on the basepaths, stealing two bases.
The Pitching Staff
Freshman right-handed pitcher Mac Stiffler got the start. as he went three innings giving up one run and one hit. He was replaced by fellow freshman righty Benjamin Hudson, who pitched two innings giving up no runs and one hit. Junior righty Robby Porco, junior lefty Ben McDougal and junior righty Luke Lyman each pitched one scoreless inning apiece to close it out. In total the West Virginia pitching staff pitched eight innings giving up one run, three hits, six walks and striking out nine batters.
The Mountaineers and Dukes face off again for a second game tomorrow night, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.
