Baseball Falls in Regular-Season Finale
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 16, 2015) – The West Virginia University baseball team fell 8-2 to Texas Tech in the regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,697 fans at Monongalia County Ballpark.
The Mountaineers (27-25, 9-12 Big 12) took an early 2-0 lead, but the Red Raiders (30-22, 13-11 Big 12) went on to score eight runs, including a five-run third inning. West Virginia finished with two runs on eight hits and Texas Tech scored eight runs on 11 hits. Each team committed two errors.
“I thought we came out pretty aggressive today like we did yesterday,” coach Randy Mazey said. “We got some pretty good hits early in the game and they’re just a good team. I think they showed today, what they’re capable of offensively. I don’t know how many extra-base hits they had, but there were several doubles and a triple in their big inning. You play Big 12 baseball, you face good teams. They’re capable of doing that every game.”
West Virginia jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second following a triple to right center field by junior center fielder KC Huth. Huth plated freshman right fielder Caleb Potter, who reached on an error to lead off. Huth scored in the next at bat on a ground out to third base by sophomore catcher Garrett Hope.
The Mountaineer lead did not last for long as the Red Raiders took advantage of a defensive miscue and scored five runs on six hits in the top of the third. Cory Raley drove in one run with a single to center field, Tanner Gardner had a two-run double to left center field and following an error, Tyler Neslony and Eric Gutierrez each drove in one run.
Texas Tech added a run in the top of the fifth on a Neslony single through the left side, and then scored two runs in the bottom of the six on an RBI triple by Raley and a single up the middle by Michael Davis.
Senior third baseman Justin Fox had two doubles on Senior Day, while Huth and freshman first baseman Shaun Corso had two hits for the Mountaineers. Freshman right-hander BJ Myers (2-5) took the loss, going 2.2 innings in the start. Myers gave up four runs, three earned, on four hits with three strikeouts.
Neslony batted 3-for-45for Texas Tech with one double, one run and two RBIs. Raley had one triple, two runs and two RBIs. Ty Damron (4-2) was awarded the win, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with one strikeout and two walks.
The Mountaineers now head to the 2015 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Okla. Seeding will be determined on Sunday following the conclusion of the remaining regular-season games.
The tournament games can be heard throughout the state on Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG affiliates with Jeff Culhane and Ernie Galusky on the call. Additionally, fans can listen to the broadcast via the WVU Gameday App on their mobile device, as well as the TuneIn Radio App and the leanStream player at WVUsports.com/audio.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 16, 2015) – The West Virginia University baseball team fell 8-2 to Texas Tech in the regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,697 fans at Monongalia County Ballpark.
The Mountaineers (27-25, 9-12 Big 12) took an early 2-0 lead, but the Red Raiders (30-22, 13-11 Big 12) went on to score eight runs, including a five-run third inning. West Virginia finished with two runs on eight hits and Texas Tech scored eight runs on 11 hits. Each team committed two errors.
“I thought we came out pretty aggressive today like we did yesterday,” coach Randy Mazey said. “We got some pretty good hits early in the game and they’re just a good team. I think they showed today, what they’re capable of offensively. I don’t know how many extra-base hits they had, but there were several doubles and a triple in their big inning. You play Big 12 baseball, you face good teams. They’re capable of doing that every game.”
West Virginia jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second following a triple to right center field by junior center fielder KC Huth. Huth plated freshman right fielder Caleb Potter, who reached on an error to lead off. Huth scored in the next at bat on a ground out to third base by sophomore catcher Garrett Hope.
The Mountaineer lead did not last for long as the Red Raiders took advantage of a defensive miscue and scored five runs on six hits in the top of the third. Cory Raley drove in one run with a single to center field, Tanner Gardner had a two-run double to left center field and following an error, Tyler Neslony and Eric Gutierrez each drove in one run.
Texas Tech added a run in the top of the fifth on a Neslony single through the left side, and then scored two runs in the bottom of the six on an RBI triple by Raley and a single up the middle by Michael Davis.
Senior third baseman Justin Fox had two doubles on Senior Day, while Huth and freshman first baseman Shaun Corso had two hits for the Mountaineers. Freshman right-hander BJ Myers (2-5) took the loss, going 2.2 innings in the start. Myers gave up four runs, three earned, on four hits with three strikeouts.
Neslony batted 3-for-45for Texas Tech with one double, one run and two RBIs. Raley had one triple, two runs and two RBIs. Ty Damron (4-2) was awarded the win, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with one strikeout and two walks.
The Mountaineers now head to the 2015 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Okla. Seeding will be determined on Sunday following the conclusion of the remaining regular-season games.
The tournament games can be heard throughout the state on Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG affiliates with Jeff Culhane and Ernie Galusky on the call. Additionally, fans can listen to the broadcast via the WVU Gameday App on their mobile device, as well as the TuneIn Radio App and the leanStream player at WVUsports.com/audio.