Mountaineers Advance to the Super Regionals

Tucson, AZ – The West Virginia Mountaineers (36-24) defeated the Grand Canyon Antelopes (36-25) in the Tucson Regional Finals Sunday night 10-6 to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time in program history.

West Virginia struck early after Logan Sauve hit a one-out single up the middle and sophomore Sam White received a four-pitch walk before a wild pitch moved the runner up to set up a sacrifice RBI fly to left field from senior Reed Chumley. Then, junior Grant Hussey lined an RBI single to right field for the 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

WAC Player of the Year Tyler Wilson doubled to right field to lead off the bottom of the frame and senior Cade Verdusco followed with a drive to right centerfield for an RBI double.

West Virginia starting pitcher Hayden Cooper gave up a single and walked consecutive batters to tie the game at two. Head coach Randy Mazey called out the bullpen for Aidan Major, the first appearance for the junior since May 5th.

Major limited the damage with senior Dustin Crenshaw placing a sacrifice RBI fly ball to left field for the 3-2 Grand Canyon lead, but consecutive outs ended the inning.

The Mountaineers reclaimed the lead in the second after sophomore Skylar King lined a single to right field and junior JJ Wetherholt hit a hard groundball to second, Crenshaw could not field, to put two on. Then, Sauve, White, and Chumley all ripped RBI singles to give WVU a 5-3 advantage.

West Virginia extended its lead in the third when sophomore Benjamin Lumsden hit a leadoff single, Wetherholt hit a hard ground ball through the hole on the right side and Logan Sauve drove a two-RBI double to right field for a 7-3 lead.

The Mountaineers added a run in the fourth. Freshman Spencer Barnett squeezed a one out single through the right side and junior Brodie Kresser reached on a walk before Lumsden lined a single to left field to score Barnett and an 8-3 advantage.

West Virginia continued its offensive output in the fifth with White doubling down the left field line for his second RBI of the night and Hussey put an RBI line drive to right field for a 10-3 lead.

Grand Canyon scratched a run in the bottom of the frame. Redshirt senior Eddy Pelc worked a leadoff walk, then line drives through the left side from sophomore Zach Yorke and redshirt junior Michael Diaz collected the RBI.

Major got Crenshaw to hit into a double play, but the righty beaned, then walked the bases loaded. Head coach Randy Mazey called upon sophomore Carson Estridge and ended the inning with a strikeout to maintain the six-run lead, 10-4.

Estridge threw three and two thirds and was taken out in the ninth following a one-out single from Pelc.

Mazey handed the ball to sophomore Maxx Yehl, and on the 1-2 pitch, Yorke drove a two-run home run over the right field wall. Then, a pinch-hit single from Emilio Barreras ended Yehl’s night, and Mazey called in the game one winner Derek Clark in for relief.

Crenshaw delivered the first pitch single, but Clark ended the game with consecutive strikeouts as the Mountaineers took the 10-6 decision.