WVU (11-4, 0-1 Big 12) dropped its Big 12 opener on the road at Baylor, 7-6. The Mountaineers hit two home runs and scored six runs, but still came up one run short on the road. Baylor had more runners on base and more opportunities to score, which was the difference. They went 6-18 with runners in scoring position, while WVU went 3-8. The Mountaineers aim to bounce back in the final two games of the series as they seek their first conference win of the season. Read more: WVU Baseball loses Big 12 opener to Baylor.
Early innings
Lucas Davenport started on the mound for Baylor and recorded three consecutive outs after walking the first batter he faced, Matt Ineich. Dawson Montesa hit a batter and walked another in the bottom of the first inning for WVU. He got out of the inning unscathed, though.
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Davenport gave up one hit in the second inning. Sean Smith hit an infield single with two outs, but he was left on base. Baylor got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the inning. Ty Johnson got things going with a one-out walk, and Brytton Clements followed with a single. Cade Dodson walked to load the bases, and Johnson scored on a first-pitch single by Travis Sanders. Montesa got a double play groundball to end the inning and get out of any more trouble.
Davenport continued on the bump in the third inning for Baylor. He walked the first batter he faced, Tyrus Hall, and allowed a single to Ineich. Gavin Kelly grounded into a double play two pitches later, but Hall scored to tie the game. Paul Schoenfeld hit a two-out single, but he got left on base. Montesa walked a batter, but got a strikeout and double play to end the third inning with the game knotted up, 1-1.
Fourth inning
Zack Wallace replaced Davenport to start the fourth inning against the middle of the WVU order. Brock Wills got on base with a one-out double to left center. Smith doubled in the next at-bat, and Wills moved to third. Armani Guzman drove in one run with a bunt single to put runners on first and third. Hall laid down a squeeze bunt to score Smith from third, which gave WVU a 3-1 lead. Ineich walked, and Guzman stole third base to set up another run. Kelly drove him across the plate with a single to center for the third and final run of the inning.
Baylor did not take long to overcome WVU’s 4-1 lead. Montesa walked the first two batters he faced in the fourth inning, which ended his night. Reese Bassinger replaced him, but struggled to get out of the jam. He gave up a single to Clements, which loaded the bases with zero outs.
Dodson followed with a single, which scored a run. Sanders hit a first-pitch single in the next at-bat, which scored two more runs to tie the game. Pearson Riebock singled through the right side of the infield to put another run on the board and gave Baylor its first lead of the game. Tyce Armstrong hit a sacrifice fly to score the Bears’ final run of the inning before Bassinger got out of the inning.
Fifth and sixth innings
Wallace got a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth for Baylor. Carson Estridge replaced Bassinger for WVU in the bottom of the inning. He got two quick outs but gave up a two-out triple to Dodson. Sanders singled in the next at-bat, which gave Baylor a 7-4 lead.
Smith continued his stellar game in the top of the sixth as he tried to get WVU back into it. He hit a 377-foot home run, his second of the season, to start the inning. Wallace got one out and gave up a double to Hall before his night ended. Charlie Atkinson replaced him and got two outs to bring Baylor to the plate. Estridge gave up a one-out triple, but did not give up a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Late innings
Atkinson got a 1-2-3 inning as he stayed on the bump for the Bears in the top of the seventh. Ryan Maggy pinch hit for Matthew Graveline and stayed in the game at first base. Kelly moved to catcher, and Brodie Kresser took his place at second base.
Estridge managed one out in the bottom of the seventh and was not helped by his defense, which allowed a baserunner due to a throwing error. Mac Stiffler came in for Estridge, with a runner on first and third, but struck out two batters to end the inning.
RJ Ruais replaced Atkinson at the top of the eighth and got three quick outs. Stiffler came back out for WVU and got two quick outs. He allowed two men on base after, but struck out Johnson for the third out.
WVU had one last chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the ninth inning. Hall, the last batter in the order, started the inning by striking out. Ineich homered off Caleb Bunch to make the score 7-6. Bunch got two quick outs against Kelly and Schoenfeld to end the game.
Top performers
- S. Smith (WVU): 3-for-4, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R
- M. Ineich (WVU): 2-for-3, HR, RBI, R, 2 BB
- T. Sanders (BAY): 3-for-5, 4 RBI, R, SB
What’s next?
WVU returns to action on Saturday, March 14, as it continues its series in Waco, Texas, at Baylor Ballpark. Saturday’s game begins at 3 p.m. ET, and Sunday’s at noon.
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