WVU stays alive with miracle 9th inning comeback over Kentucky
The No. 16 seed West Virginia defeated Kentucky 11-9 in the Morgantown Regional inside Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark Sunday evening.
In a game that will go down in West Virginia Baseball history, the Mountaineers pulled off a miracle comeback, forcing a win-or-go-home on Monday, June 1.
With its back against the wall, WVU scored five runs in the ninth inning, capped off by the swing of center fielder Paul Schoenfeld’s life.
In a redemption role, first baseman Brodie Kresser started the ninth-inning rally, while recording two hits with an RBI, making multiple run-saving plays in the field. Right fielder Armani Guzman saw two hits, stolen bases and RBI.
In total, WVU made up for its three errors with 10 hits and working 12 free passes on the offensive side.
After three innings of work, throwing 40 pitches against Binghamton on May 29, right-hander David Hagen got the start. He lasted two innings, allowing three hits and runs, with only one being earned. Hagen struck out and walked two batters each in 53 pitches.
Southpaw Ben McDougal earned the win after entering in the fifth inning. He hurled five innings of two-run baseball. He struck out a season-high six batters without allowing a free pass.
Coming from the losers’ bracket, WVU was designated as the visiting team. The game started similarly to last night’s contest as Kentucky’s starter failed to make it out of the first inning. He loaded the bases before WVU even put the ball in play, and designated hitter Sean Smith was hit with a pitch for a run. Catcher Matthew Graveline put the defense to work first with a sacrifice fly RBI to left field. A walk cued a pitching change, then Kresser smacked a ball where it came from for an RBI single.
In the bottom half, Kentucky saw its first two batters reach from errors made by the left side of the infield. A popped-up bunt back to Hagen was the first out, then he walked a batter, loading the bases. A walk brought in the Wildcats’ first run, before a Braxton Van Cleave single scored another. Hagen buckled down and struck out the next two batters, limiting the damage.
After one inning, WVU led 3-2.
Other than a single from second baseman Gavin Kelly, WVU saw no action in the second inning. Kentucky did, though, tying the game. After an out, Jayce Tharnish had a hustle double to center field. A groundout followed, then Luke Lawerence singled up the middle, scoring Tharnish.
The tie did not last long as WVU added three runs in the third inning. Graveline and Kresser singled with an out in between, starting the frame. Then Lumsden took a ball to the left field wall, where Carson Hansen made a leaping attempt that popped out of his glove at the impact of the wall, allowing Graveline to score. Third baseman Tyrus Hall dribbled into a fielder’s choice, bringing Kresser home, and Guzman followed with a single to score Lumsden.
In the bottom half, Kentucky got one run back. Left-hander Joshua Suriago started the inning with a walk and a single, then Hansen hit into a fielder’s choice, getting a run home. Another single followed, and right-hander Carson Estridge entered the game. He sat down the first batter he saw with a strikeout, then allowed a single to Tharnish. On the play, Guzman came up firing from right field and caught a Hansen at the plate. Hansen looked to make a move to avoid Graveline’s tag, causing a collision. He ultimately held on for the final out, but words were exchanged between both sides’ players and fan bases.
WVU saw the game’s first one-two-three inning in the fourth, then Kentucky took the lead. Tyler Bell started the frame with a no-doubt home run to right field. Lawerence follwed with a double before the first out. Ethan Hindle brought in a run with a single to left field, taking the lead. Van Cleave capped the inning with two strike base hit the other way for a run.
After four innings, Kentucky led 7-6.
WVU saw an uneventful fifth inning, then Kentucky put ducks on the pond. Estridge hit the first two batters of the frame, ending his outing. McDougal came in and struck out the first two hitters he faced and induced a groundout, escaping trouble.
In the sixth inning, WVU failed to convert on a big scoring opportunity. Schoenfeld led off with a double, and Smith walked. Graveline moved them over with a bunt, then another walk loaded the bases with one out. Two swinging strikeouts ended the chance. McDougal returned and made quick work of Kentucky.
To begin the seventh inning, Guzman reached after an out. He stole second base, but a strikeout and flyout stranded him there. In the Wildcats’ turn, it looked like a quick inning in the works. Two outs before Tharnish’s opposite-field home run with two strikes put them up two runs. Bell then went back-to-back in the same direction for his second homer of the contest.
The Mountaineers trailed 9-6 through seven innings.
A quiet eighth inning put the game into the ninth as WVU needed three runs to continue the game.
Kresser started the last chance reaching on an error from the third baseman. Lumsden got on with a walk, then a single from Hall forced a pitching change. Guzman was his first batter, and he didn’t get a chance to swing, looking at four balls for a run to score. Kelly then skied a ball to center field for an RBI, bringing WVU within a run. Kentucky’s pitcher balked before the next pitch was thrown, scoring the tying run. Two pitches later, Schoenfled sent a ball to the moon, admiring his shot for a few seconds before crossing the plate, giving WVU a two-run lead.
Entering the bottom half, WVU held an 11-9 lead with McDougal returning to the hill.
McDougal struck out the first batter he saw, then worked a popout. He allowed a single then ended the game with a flyout to center field.
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