West Virginia Handed Its First Loss of the Season

The West Virginia University baseball team was handed its first loss of the season, losing 13-9 to Kennesaw State at Kendrick Family Ballpark. Read West Virginia handed its first loss of the season

WVU (13-1) fell behind early to KSU (6-10), and despite regaining the lead struggled to maintain it, eventually falling behind on Donovan Cash’s ninth inning grand slam.

Owls Offense

Kennesaw State hit a two-run RBI double off WVU starter Gavin Van Kampen in the top of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead.  Junior catcher Logan Sauve cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer to make it 2-1.  

The Owls then hit an RBI double in the top of the third, following it up with an RBI single as they took a 4-1 lead.  

READ: WEST VIRGINIA CRUSHES KENNESAW STATE IN GAME ONE

In the bottom of the third inning, Sauve took a bases loaded walk as senior first baseman Grant Hussey crossed home plate to make it 4-2. Then junior second baseman Sam White hit a two-run RBI single, scoring senior shortstop Brodie Kresser and sophomore right fielder Armani Guzman to tie the game up at 4-4. Senior designated hitter Jace Rinehart put the Mountaineers on top with an RBI groundout to plate Sauve, before junior center fielder Skylar King hit a sac fly to drive in White, putting WVU up 6-4 after the third inning.

KSU tied it up in the top of the fourth with an RBI groundout and an RBI single, making the score 6-6.

Rinehart answered with an RBI groundout to score White making it 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth, but the Owls responded in the top of the sixth to tie it back up at 7-7.

Rinehart’s Production

White put WVU back in front with an RBI sac fly in the seventh inning, with freshman left fielder Jorge Valdes representing the go-ahead run. Rinehart then reached on a fielder’s choice as an error allowed Sauve to score, putting the Mountaineers up 9-7.

Yet again the score was tied, as Cam Suto hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to make it 9-9. But Kennesaw state didn’t let up there, as Cash hit a grand slam to left center to put the Owls up 13-9.

The Mountaineers were unable to score in ninth, losing for the first time in 2025.

Hitting Struggles

WVU went 9-34 at the plate, notching four extra-base hits, three strikeouts and striking out six times. Rinehart (3-5) and White (3-4) led the Mountaineers in hits, with the latter having two double, while Sauve went 2-4 with a homer.

Van Kempen struggled in his start, giving up six hits, two walks and four runs (three unearned) in three innings on the mound. The four relief pitchers did not fair much better, with each giving up runs. Overall the West Virginia bullpen combined for six innings, eight hits, five walks and nine runs (seven earned) while only striking out four batters.

The rubber match is set for noon tomorrow, as West Virginia is looking to avoid a series loss and move to 14-1.