WVU Shuts Down Waynesburg
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (October 2, 2015) – Facing inclement weather, the West Virginia University baseball team used runs in three-consecutive innings, including six runs in the seventh, to shut down Waynesburg by a score of 11-2 on Friday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.
In its second game of the fall season, West Virginia finished with 11 runs on 12 hits with one error. Waynesburg scored two runs on eight hits with three errors.
“I think gaining the lead early allowed us to play with a lot more energy today,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “Last time we played, we gave up four runs in the first inning, so we were playing catch-up the whole game.”
The offensive output saw nine different Mountaineers record at least one hit, and nine WVU players scored. Twelve of the 14 Mountaineers to come to the plate reached base or recorded an RBI.
Freshman Kyle Gray led the way with two hits, two RBI and three runs scored with a walk. Junior Jackson Cramer and senior Ray Guerrini also drove in a pair of runs, while freshman Cole Austin and sophomore Kyle Davis posted two hits apiece. Guerrini’s RBI came on a home run, WVU’s first long ball of the fall.
On the mound, junior Chad Donato pitched the first three innings and allowed one hit with four strikeouts and no walks. Sophomore Conner Dotson threw the middle three frames and had a strikeout and allowed two runs on five hits. Junior Jackson Sigman, sophomore Shane Ennis and senior Jeff Hardy closed out the game, pitching one inning a piece, and allowed no runs on two hits.
“We tried to get a lot of freshmen in the lineup tonight,” Mazey said. “During these fall games, it’s important to see what these young kids can do. We watched the returning players compete all year last year, so we know what they are capable of. The younger squad did a good job with getting on base and moving the baseball a little bit.”
Cramer put WVU on the board early with an RBI single in the bottom of the first to score senior KC Huth to give the Mountaineers their first run of the game.
After two scoreless innings, the Yellow Jackets scored two runs in the top of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead, their first and only lead in the game.
The Mountaineers delivered in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run inning to regain the lead at 4-2, as Davis and Cramer smoked back-to-back triples to center field.
Gray brought the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring on a passed ball.
In the bottom of the seventh, West Virginia tacked on six more runs to extend the lead to 11-2.
Austin led off the inning with a double down left field line. Freshman Darius Hill singled to shortstop to put Austin in scoring position. Junior Shaun Wood followed with a line drive to score Austin. Gray kept the momentum going with a base hit to center field, scoring Wood and Hill. Guerrini topped off the inning with a home run over the left field wall to score freshman Braden Zarbnisky and Grey.
The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow for the annual Alumni game. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. at Monongalia County Ballpark, and admission is free for all fans. The fall slate concludes on October 16 and 17 as WVU hosts in-state foe Marshall.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter and Facebook.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (October 2, 2015) – Facing inclement weather, the West Virginia University baseball team used runs in three-consecutive innings, including six runs in the seventh, to shut down Waynesburg by a score of 11-2 on Friday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.
In its second game of the fall season, West Virginia finished with 11 runs on 12 hits with one error. Waynesburg scored two runs on eight hits with three errors.
“I think gaining the lead early allowed us to play with a lot more energy today,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “Last time we played, we gave up four runs in the first inning, so we were playing catch-up the whole game.”
The offensive output saw nine different Mountaineers record at least one hit, and nine WVU players scored. Twelve of the 14 Mountaineers to come to the plate reached base or recorded an RBI.
Freshman Kyle Gray led the way with two hits, two RBI and three runs scored with a walk. Junior Jackson Cramer and senior Ray Guerrini also drove in a pair of runs, while freshman Cole Austin and sophomore Kyle Davis posted two hits apiece. Guerrini’s RBI came on a home run, WVU’s first long ball of the fall.
On the mound, junior Chad Donato pitched the first three innings and allowed one hit with four strikeouts and no walks. Sophomore Conner Dotson threw the middle three frames and had a strikeout and allowed two runs on five hits. Junior Jackson Sigman, sophomore Shane Ennis and senior Jeff Hardy closed out the game, pitching one inning a piece, and allowed no runs on two hits.
“We tried to get a lot of freshmen in the lineup tonight,” Mazey said. “During these fall games, it’s important to see what these young kids can do. We watched the returning players compete all year last year, so we know what they are capable of. The younger squad did a good job with getting on base and moving the baseball a little bit.”
Cramer put WVU on the board early with an RBI single in the bottom of the first to score senior KC Huth to give the Mountaineers their first run of the game.
After two scoreless innings, the Yellow Jackets scored two runs in the top of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead, their first and only lead in the game.
The Mountaineers delivered in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run inning to regain the lead at 4-2, as Davis and Cramer smoked back-to-back triples to center field.
Gray brought the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring on a passed ball.
In the bottom of the seventh, West Virginia tacked on six more runs to extend the lead to 11-2.
Austin led off the inning with a double down left field line. Freshman Darius Hill singled to shortstop to put Austin in scoring position. Junior Shaun Wood followed with a line drive to score Austin. Gray kept the momentum going with a base hit to center field, scoring Wood and Hill. Guerrini topped off the inning with a home run over the left field wall to score freshman Braden Zarbnisky and Grey.
The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow for the annual Alumni game. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. at Monongalia County Ballpark, and admission is free for all fans. The fall slate concludes on October 16 and 17 as WVU hosts in-state foe Marshall.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter and Facebook.