WVU (14-1) fell to a ninth-inning grand slam on Saturday by Kennesaw State (6-11), and fell behind 3-0 in the first inning Sunday, but recovered to take the series. Read West Virginia takes the series against Kennesaw State below.
KSU’s Hot Start
KSU started how they left off, as two RBI singles put them up 3-0. But this time, the Mountaineers had a response.
Just three batters in, junior second baseman Sam White homered to left field, scoring himself as well as junior catcher Logan Sauve and senior shortstop Brodie Kresser to tie the game up at 3-3. Later on in the inning, freshman left fielder Gavin Kelly tripled to right field, driving in senior right fielder Jace Rinehart, as KSU removed starter Ryan Gold from the game.
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WVU added another run in the bottom of the third, with redshirt junior third baseman Chase Swain hitting a sacrifice fly to score Kelly.
The Owls struck back in the top of the fifth with an RBI single, making it a 5-4 game. The Mountaineers answered in style, as freshman first baseman Grant Hussey doubled to plate Kelly and freshman pinch runner Jorge Valdes. Kresser followed this right up with a single to center field to score Hussey, then stealing second base and being driven in by a Sauve double. All in all it was a four-run inning to put WVU up 9-4.
KSU chipped away at the lead in the seventh inning with a solo homer, but remained four runs down.
WVU added another run in the bottom of the eight by pulling off a familiar trick – Junior center fielder Skylar King stole second base, giving the opportunity for Kelly to steal home. Swain then hit an RBi single to plate King. Kresser put the exclamation mark on top of the inning as he hit a three-run homer with Hussey and Swain on base to put the Mountaineers up 14-5.
Kennesaw State scored two runs in the ninth but it was nowhere near enough to threaten West Virginia, who won the game 14-7 to clinch the series.
Mountaineers Continue Hitting Dominance
It was an emphatic performance from the WVU offense at the plate, as they went 15-38 with seven walks, five stolen bases and eight extra base hits to score 14 runs. Kresser was the star of the show, going 3-5 with a homer and four RBI. In addition, Sauve (one RBI), White (three RBI), Rinehart (one double), Kelly (one RBI, two walks) and Hussey (two RBI, two doubles) each had two hits apiece.
Freshman right-handed pitcher David Hagen got the start, going two innings and giving up three runs. Out of the bullpen, senior righty Tyler Hutson and freshman righty Benjamin Hudson both pitched three innings while giving up one run, with Hutson striking out five batters. Junior right-hander Robby Porco then pitched the ninth, giving up one earned run. In total the WVU pitching staff pitched nine innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits and five walks, while striking out 11 batters.
The Mountaineers are back in action at Kendrick Family Ballpark on Tuesday, as they will face Towson at 2 p.m. Streaming is set to be available on ESPN+.
