Late Collapse Dooms No. 12 West Virginia in Series Finale Loss to Cincinnati

The No. 12 West Virginia Mountaineers (28-12, 13-8) took a three-run lead heading into the final stretch, but gave up five runs in the eighth to fall to the Cincinnati Bearcats (29-17, 10-11) Sunday afternoon in a series deciding game three, 7-5.

West Virginia put the first run on the board in the top of the second when junior Armani Guzman one-hopped the first pitch of the inning off sophomore first baseman Quinton Coats and redshirt freshman Maxwell Molessa lined a single to right centerfield, placing runners at the corners, before senior Matthew Graveline hit into a double play but scored Guzman for the early 1-0 edge.

The Mountaineers manufactured a run in the third after Cincinnati freshman starter pitcher Connor Blue beaned junior Tyrus Hall and walked sophomore Matt Ineich to put two aboard, setting up a pair of sacrifice bunts from sophomore Gavin Kelly and senior Paul Schoenfeld to bring a run across for the 2-0 lead.

West Virginia tacked on a run in the fifth when Ineich one-hopped a double off the rightfield wall and was moved to third on a deep sacrifice fly ball in right field foul territory from Kelly, setting up an RBI single for Schoenfeld for a 3-0 advantage.

West Virginia starting pitcher Dawson Montesa walked consecutive hitters to begin the bottom half of the frame and a sacrifice bunt from redshirt sophomore Charlie Niehaus ended the junior's afternoon. He tossed 4.1 innings and recorded three strikeouts.

WVU head coach Steve Sabins turned to Josh Surigao. The sophomore gave up an RBI single to Jackson Smith and an RBI sacrifice fly to redshirt freshman Ryan Tyranski as the Bearcasts pulled within one, 3-2.

The Mountaineers stretched their lead back to three in the seventh. Senior Brock Wills lined a leadoff single to centerfield and Ineich followed suit with an out on the board to place runners at the corners. Then, after Ineich stole second, Kelly lined a two RBI double too left field for a 5-2 WVU advantage.

Cincinnati claimed its first lead in the eighth inning. After senior Carson Estridge gave up a single to Ryan Transki, Sabins handed the ball to Reese Bassinger. The senior allowed three-straight base hits, capped by an RBI single from junior Jack Natili. Freshman Enzo Infelise followed with an RBI single back up the middle. Then, an errant throw to third from Graveline following the first pitch to Christian Mitchelle brought in another run before the senior dropped the 2-2 pitch into shallow centerfield for an RBI single, capping a five-run eighth inning for a 7-5 lead.

Brendan Garula stepped onto the mound in eighth for the Bearcats with two aboard, came away unscathed and retired the side in the ninth to seal the Cincinnati win 7-5.

West Virginia is back in action Wednesday evening as the Mountaineers travel to Happy Valley to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. The first pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. EST and the action will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

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