WVU Clinches Big 12 Tournament Berth with Win
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 15, 2015) – The West Virginia University baseball team clinched a spot in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship next week with an 8-2 series-winning victory over Texas Tech on Friday evening at Monongalia County Ballpark.
“If this team gets hot at the right time, we’re very capable as we showed tonight of scoring a lot of runs against really quality pitching and not giving up too many hits against really quality hitters,” coach Randy Mazey said. “When our back’s against the wall, we come out fighting which is the sign of a team with a lot of character.”
The Mountaineers (27-24, 9-12 Big 12) scored eight runs on 11 hits and the Red Raiders (29-22, 12-11 Big 12) plated two runs on six hits. Each team committed three errors.
Junior left-hander Ross Vance (7-4) pitched 7.1 innings and allowed one run in the win. He gave up four hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
“He always settles in and is Vance. You just never know when it’s going to happen or what it’s going to take for it happen,” Mazey said. “I think when we scored the two in the bottom of the first after he gave up a home run, that really allowed him to take a deep breath and take that so-called pressure off of himself.”
Senior third baseman Justin Fox, senior shortstop Taylor Munden, sophomore first baseman Jackson Cramer and junior center fielder KC Huth had two hits apiece with Munden and senior left fielder Brad Johnson driving in two runs apiece.
“We talked about it all year,” Mazey said. “We’re a really young team with all these freshmen and sophomores. When you get to this point in the season the older guys are the ones that need to carry you into the postseason.”
Texas Tech took a 1-0 lead with a Cory Raley leadoff home run to left field in the top of the first inning.
West Virginia immediately came back to score two runs in bottom of the first and took a 2-1 lead. With runners on the corners and no outs, Munden singled to center field to score freshman designated hitter Kyle Davis. Freshman right fielder Caleb Potter then was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs to score senior third baseman Justin Fox.
The Mountaineers had runners on second and third in the bottom of the fifth and extended the lead to 4-1 on a two-run double to left center field by Johnson. Freshman second baseman Shaun Corso followed with a double to the same spot, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 5-1.
Munden’s second RBI of the game came with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to bring the lead to 6-1 as he drove in Huth from second base.
West Virginia scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to break the game open at 8-1. Johnson scored on a passed ball after leading the inning off with a walk, and Huth singled to right center field to score Corso, who reached on an error.
The loss went to Texas Tech starter Cameron Smith (6-4) after Smith gave up four runs on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in 4.1 innings. Raley and Stephen Smith had two hits apiece for the Red Raiders.
West Virginia and Texas Tech return to action for the series and regular-season finale on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game has been designated as Senior Day and Kids Day. Fox, Johnson and Munden will be honored prior to the game for Senior Day, while kids 12 and under can run the bases and receive autographs following the game.
The game will feature a free video stream, courtesy of Coca-Cola, on WVUsports.com while the radio broadcast 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 15, 2015) – The West Virginia University baseball team clinched a spot in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship next week with an 8-2 series-winning victory over Texas Tech on Friday evening at Monongalia County Ballpark.
“If this team gets hot at the right time, we’re very capable as we showed tonight of scoring a lot of runs against really quality pitching and not giving up too many hits against really quality hitters,” coach Randy Mazey said. “When our back’s against the wall, we come out fighting which is the sign of a team with a lot of character.”
The Mountaineers (27-24, 9-12 Big 12) scored eight runs on 11 hits and the Red Raiders (29-22, 12-11 Big 12) plated two runs on six hits. Each team committed three errors.
Junior left-hander Ross Vance (7-4) pitched 7.1 innings and allowed one run in the win. He gave up four hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
“He always settles in and is Vance. You just never know when it’s going to happen or what it’s going to take for it happen,” Mazey said. “I think when we scored the two in the bottom of the first after he gave up a home run, that really allowed him to take a deep breath and take that so-called pressure off of himself.”
Senior third baseman Justin Fox, senior shortstop Taylor Munden, sophomore first baseman Jackson Cramer and junior center fielder KC Huth had two hits apiece with Munden and senior left fielder Brad Johnson driving in two runs apiece.
“We talked about it all year,” Mazey said. “We’re a really young team with all these freshmen and sophomores. When you get to this point in the season the older guys are the ones that need to carry you into the postseason.”
Texas Tech took a 1-0 lead with a Cory Raley leadoff home run to left field in the top of the first inning.
West Virginia immediately came back to score two runs in bottom of the first and took a 2-1 lead. With runners on the corners and no outs, Munden singled to center field to score freshman designated hitter Kyle Davis. Freshman right fielder Caleb Potter then was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs to score senior third baseman Justin Fox.
The Mountaineers had runners on second and third in the bottom of the fifth and extended the lead to 4-1 on a two-run double to left center field by Johnson. Freshman second baseman Shaun Corso followed with a double to the same spot, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 5-1.
Munden’s second RBI of the game came with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to bring the lead to 6-1 as he drove in Huth from second base.
West Virginia scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to break the game open at 8-1. Johnson scored on a passed ball after leading the inning off with a walk, and Huth singled to right center field to score Corso, who reached on an error.
The loss went to Texas Tech starter Cameron Smith (6-4) after Smith gave up four runs on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in 4.1 innings. Raley and Stephen Smith had two hits apiece for the Red Raiders.
West Virginia and Texas Tech return to action for the series and regular-season finale on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game has been designated as Senior Day and Kids Day. Fox, Johnson and Munden will be honored prior to the game for Senior Day, while kids 12 and under can run the bases and receive autographs following the game.
The game will feature a free video stream, courtesy of Coca-Cola, on WVUsports.com while the radio broadcast 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