MORGANTOWN W.VA. — WVU Baseball (42-15) showcased resilience and timely hitting to overcome a late deficit to defeat the Kentucky Wildcats, 11-9. What began as a strong offensive start for WVU turned into a seesaw battle, with both teams trading blows through the middle innings. The Mountaineers ultimately saved their best for the ninth, erupting for five runs to secure a hard-fought victory. Read more: Mountaineers stage dramatic late rally to edge Wildcats, 11-9.
WVU Baseball Head Coach Steve Sabins said preparing for emotions in the situation was part of his thought process;
“You’re kind of having some thoughts about [the] kids and you’re having emotions about what they’re doing and how they’re competing, and you’re planning to win the game,” Sabins said. “But you’re also playing for young guys to be able to take on adversity and keep moving forward… and that’s one of the most fulfilling things in this.”
First inning: WVU jumps out early
Armani Guzman opened the top of the first for the Mountaineers. Guzman reached first base after being hit by a pitch from Kentucky starting pitcher Ben Cleaver. Cleaver walked both Gavin Kelly and Paul Schoenfeld to load the bases with no outs. The following at-bat, Sean Smith was hit on the elbow to score a run for the Mountaineers, giving them a 1-0 lead.
Matthew Graveline gave the Mountaineers some insurance by hitting a sacrifice fly to left to score Kelly from third, extending the lead 2-0. Cleaver then walked Matt Ineich on four pitches to load the bases.
Kentucky made a pitching change, bringing in Ira Austin.Following the pitching change, Brodie Kresser stepped to the plate and blasted a ball back up the middle, scoring another run for WVU (3-0). Ben Lumsden was next to bat; Lumsden blasted a ball that was snagged by Kentucky starting first baseman Hudson Brown for the second out. Tyrus Hall was retired on strikes to end the inning.
Bottom of the first: Kentucky battles back
David Hagen was on the hill for the Mountaineers. Jayce Tharnish reached base after a wild throw from Tyrus Hall to first base. Tyler Bell hit another ball to Hall that was thrown past the second baseman to put runners at first and second with no outs. Luke Lawrence was next to bat and popped up a bunt that was caught by Hagen for the first out.Tharnish reached third base after a pitch in the dirt to Hudson Brown.
Brown reached first base on a walk to load the bases for Ethan Hindle. Hindle drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to score a run for the Wildcats (3-1). Braxton Van Cleave singled to left to cut the Mountaineer lead to just one (3-2). Hagen retired both Carson Hansen and Caeden Cloud in the next two at-bats to end the inning with a one-run lead for the Mountaineers.
Wildcats tie the game
The Wildcats went with pitcher Tommy Sheldon to start the second inning. The only offense for the Mountaineers in the second came off a single from Kelly.Following a groundout from Owen Jenkins to open the bottom of the second, Tharnish doubled to the gap in left. Bell was retired on a ground ball for the second out of the inning. Lawrence beat a throw to first to score another run for Kentucky and tie the game at three. Brown was retired on a ground ball to end the inning.
Mountaineers regain control
Graveline led off the third for WVU and delivered a single up the middle. After a pop out from Ineich, Kresser lined a single to left. Lumsden floated a ball to the left field wall that went in and out of the left fielder Hansen’s glove, scoring a run to regain the lead for WVU (4-3).Hall stepped to the plate with runners at the corners.
Hall grounded out at first but was able to score Kresser and extend the lead to two (5-3). Guzman added to the lead with a single to right to score Lumsden (6-3). Guzman later stole second base. Kelly reached first base on a walk, as did Schoenfeld in the following at-bat to load the bases.
Kentucky went to the bullpen again, this time going with Chase Alderman. Smith hit a ball to second base for the final out.The Mountaineers went with pitcher Joshua Surigao to start the bottom of the third. Surigao’s first test was Ethan Hindle. Hindle walked on four pitches. Van Cleave singled up the middle and was able to advance Hindle to third with no outs.
Hansen drove in a run for the Wildcats with a ball hit to the shortstop (an out was recorded at second base but Hansen reached first) to cut the WVU lead to two (6-4). Cloud followed with a single up the middle.WVU made another pitching change, this time bringing in Carson Estridge. Estridge started by retiring Jenkins on strikes for the second out of the inning. Tharnish singled to right but a great throw to home from Guzman (in right field) retired the runner at home for the final out, keeping the score 6-4.
Kentucky takes the lead
The Mountaineers were retired in order in the top of the fourth. Bell led off the fourth for Kentucky and blasted a solo shot to the West Virginia bullpen, cutting the lead to one (6-5). Lawrence followed with a double down the line in left. Brown popped out to the catcher Graveline in the following at-bat. Hindle singled to left to tie the game at 6-6.
Hindle stole second base during the next at-bat. Van Cleave singled to right to drive home another run for the lead (Van Cleave was able to reach second after a throw to home plate), making the score 7-6 UK. After a ground out by Hansen, Cloud laid down a bunt for an attempted squeeze play but was thrown out at first to end the inning.
Missed opportunities
Lumsden was set down on strikes to start the fifth inning. Hall reached base on a walk. The Mountaineers weren’t able to come away with any runs in the inning as Guzman flew out to left and Kelly went down on strikes.
Estridge hit back-to-back batters to open the bottom of the fifth to end his night on the mound. The Mountaineers then turned to pitcher Ben McDougal. McDougal started his night by striking out the first two batters he faced and retiring the third on a ground out.Schoenfeld led off the sixth for the Mountaineers and delivered a lead-off double to right. Smith walked on a 3-2 pitch in the next at-bat.
Kentucky went back to the bullpen to bring in Nile Adcock. Following the pitching change, Graveline stepped to the plate and advanced the runners to second and third. Ineich reached base on a walk to load the bases for Kresser. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, both Kresser and Lumsden struck out to leave the bases loaded. McDougal answered by retiring the Wildcats in order in the bottom of the sixth.
Kentucky pulls ahead again
Following a fly out from Hall to open the seventh inning, Guzman singled up the middle and later stole second base. The Mountaineers once again failed to take advantage after a strikeout by Kelly and a fly out from Schoenfeld ended the inning with no runs.After the first two Kentucky batters were sat down, Tharnish hit a solo home run to right to make the score 8-6 in favor of the Cats. Bell followed with a solo shot to right of his own to give Kentucky a 9-6 lead. Lawrence flew out to deep left to end the inning.
Adcock sat the Mountaineers down in order in the top of the eighth. McDougal responded by doing the same and retiring the Wildcats in order.
Mountaineers complete epic rally
Kresser opened the top of the ninth with a single down the left field line. Lumsden reached first base on a walk the next at-bat to put runners at first and second with no outs. Hall followed with a single to load the bases for Guzman.The Wildcats went to the bullpen and brought in Jackson Soucie.
Guzman walked on four pitches to score a run and shrink the deficit to just two (9-7). Kentucky went to the bullpen yet again, this time bringing in Oliver Boone. Kelly drove in another run with a fly out to deep center, cutting the deficit to just one (9-8). The Mountaineers tied the game on a balk call to score the runner from third.
Schoenfeld blasted a two-run home run to right to take the lead, 11-9. Kentucky made yet another pitching change, bringing in Tristan Hunter. Eventually, Graveline went down on strikes to end an incredible inning for the Mountaineers.
McDougal recorded another strikeout to start the bottom of the ninth then retired two of the next three batters he faced to complete the rally and keep the Mountaineers’ season alive.
The Mountaineers will face off against the Wildcats again tomorrow in a winner-take-all game.
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