WVU wins rubber match in wild game
In what may be one of the craziest WVU games in years, the West Virginia University baseball team went up by seven runs, then down by eight runs before ultimately winning a rubber matchup by 19-16 against BYU on Saturday at Miller Park in Provo, Utah. Read more WVU wins rubber match in wild game.
In an absolute roller coaster of a game the Mountaineers (23-4, 4-3 Big 12) scored seven consecutive runs to start the game, surrendered 15 runs in a row to the Cougars (14-11, 5-4 Big 12) but ultimately scored 14 unanswered runs to take the series.
The scoring started in the top of the second, when sophomore right fielder Armani Guzman homered to center field, driving in redshirt senior third baseman Chase Swain and senior first baseman Grant Hussey.
Logan Sauve
Junior catcher Logan Sauve added to the lead in the top of the third, homering to left field . Following this, freshman second baseman Gavin Kelly doubled to center field to score senior designated hitter Kyle West, and Hussey doubled to right field, to score Kelly. After Guzman singled to right field to plate Hussey, WVU had a 7-0 lead after the top of the third.
But BYU wasn’t going down without a fight. Following an RBI triple to left field, infield single, two doubles to left field, and an RBI single, it was 7-5 after five scores in the bottom of the third.
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And the bottom of the fourth was where the Cougars really did damage. A two-run double to center field quickly tied it up, before they gained the lead on a single to right field. A bases loaded walk, single up the middle and bases loaded hit-by-pitch later, BYU had scored 10 runs. And after two runs scored on a single to left field followed by another via catcher’s obstruction, they’d scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 15-7.
West Virginia made their response in the top of the fifth, as sophomore shortstop Spencer Barnett, singled up the middle to drive in Hussey. Sauve then took a bases-loaded walk, with Swain crossing home plate as WVU’s ninth run. Following this, West doubled to right field, scoring junior center fielder Skylar King and Barnett. And after senior leftd fielder Jace Rinehart singled to left field to score West and Sauve, the Mountaineers were suddenly only down 15-13.
And that wouldn’t last long either as in the top of the seventh, Rinehart homered to right field, driving in West and Sauve to put West Virginia in front 16-13.
WVU kept adding to the lead as Barnett singled to right field in the top eighth to score Swain, before he himself was driven in by a West singled to right field. Rinehart added a third run, as he singled to right field, plating Sauve.
BYU scored one run in the bottom of the ninth, but ultimately sophomore right-handed pitcher Chase Meyer excelled once again in relief by striking out the tying run to end the game.
Offensive Onslaught
It was another offensive onslaught for the Mountaineers, who hit 20-46 (.435) with seven doubles, three homers, five walks and a hit by pitch. Rinehart was the star of the show, as he went 3-6 with three RBI on a go-ahead homer in the top of the seventh. West also had a fantastic day, going 4-5 with three RBI and two doubles, while Guzman went 2-5 with four RBI and a homer. In addition Sauve hit 2-3 on a double and a homer, scoring four times and driving in two, while Barnett went 2-5 while driving in two runs as well. Hussey tied for second on the team in hits, going 3-6 with an RBI and two doubles.
The performance on the mound was less dominant, as the six WVU pitchers combined for 16 runs (11 earned) over nine innings on 15 hits and six walks, even though they did strike out 11 batters. Freshman right-handed pitcher Max Stiffler was the lone bright spot, pitching two scoreless innings giving up a hit and a walk while striking out two.
Next up for West Virginia will be two games during the week. First the Mountaineers will travel to Columbus, Ohio, as they are set to take on Ohio State at Bill Davis Stadium on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Then, they’ll face Pitt at Kendrick Family Ballpark on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
