Chansen Cole Tosses Gem as No. 16 West Virginia Powers Past Binghamton

Chansen Cole curbs Binghamton's early momentum and West Virginia puts up a pair of five-run innings to cruise past the Bearcats

West Virginia outfielder Benjamin Lumsden. | Christopher Hall

The No. 16 nationally seeded West Virginia Mountaineers (40-14) crushed the Binghamton Bearcats (31-21) in the opening round of the Morgantown regional 10-1.

Binghamton Zack Kent hit a leadoff double down the left field line to begin the top of the second inning and moved to third on what was officially ruled a wild pitch. Then, with one out, junior Zach Anderson hit a grounder to third as junior Tyrus Hall scooped up the and went to home, Kent slid under the tag for a 1-0 Bearcat lead.

In the fourth, West Virginia senior Sean Smith was hit by the 2-2 pitch to begin the inning. Then, on the first pitch delivered to senior Matthew Graveline, he ripped a two-run home run, his sixth of the season. Junior Armani Guzman followed with a deep fly ball to centerfield that rattled out of the glove of sophomore Matt Bolton has he hit the wall for a double.

Binghamton junior Connor Griffin proceeded to walk senior Brodie Kresser and Bearcats head coach Tim Sinicki called to his bullpen for right-hander Jackson Mitchell, and it didn't take long for the Mountaineers to add to the lead when West Virginia senior Ben Lumsden jumped on the 3-2 pitch and drove it 413 feet for a three-run home run, the first of the season and his second postseason home run of his career to cap a five-run fifth inning as the Mountaineers claimed a 5-1 advantage.

West Virginia broke the game open in the sixth after Lumsden singled to right-centerfield to leadoff the inning and Hall followed with a double off the right field wall. Then, with one out, sophomore Gavin Kelly hit the gap in left centerfield for a two-RBI double. Next, Binghamton reliever Jake Dally beaned Smith and Graveline to load the bases. Then, Guzman dropped a base clearing double down the left field line as the Mountaineers took a commanding 10-1 lead.

West Virginia starting pitcher Chansen Cole threw six inning and registered a career-high 10 strikeouts and limited the Bearcats to just one run.

Sophomore David Hagen took the mound for the Mountaineers in the seventh and threw three hitless innings with three strikeouts as WVU advances with a 10-1 decision.

West Virginia will meet Kentucky Saturday afternoon in game two of the NCAA tournament. The first pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. EST. Television or streaming is to be announced.