Mountaineers Blast 3 Home Runs to Upset No. 2 Texas 5-4

The West Virginia Mountaineers power past the No. 2 Texas Longhorns 5-4

Behind three home runs, The West Virgina Mountaineers went into Austin, TX and knocked off the No. 2 Texas Longhorns 5-4 Thursday night. 

West Virginia jumped on Texas in the first when Paul McIntosh ripped a single into right field, then Nathan Blasick drove the 1-1 pitch over the right field wall to give the Mountaineers the early 2-0 advantage.

Texas answered in the bottom of the inning when Mitchell Daly doubled to left center, Ivan Melendez drew a two-out walk before Cam Williams doubled down the left field line, scoring Daly and Melendez to tie the game at two.

Paul McIntosh reclaimed the lead in the third with a solo shot to straight centerfield and bouncing off the batter’s eye to put the Mountaineers back up by a run, 3-2.

Mike Antico tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run, but on the first pitch in the top of the fifth, Kevin Brophy broke the 3-3 tie, going opposite field with and dropping a solo home run over the left field wall.

The Mountaineers added to their lead in the sixth when Hudson Byorick smacked a one-out single down the first baseline, and Victor Scott doubled into the gap in right-center, scoring Byorick and pushing the lead to 5-3.

West Virginia errors in the bottom of the inning got the Longhorns back within a run. Silas Ardoin reached with a one-out single, and a bunt down the right side from Eric Kennedy scored Ardoin after an errant throw from Byorick. Following an error at first that put two on with one out, head coach Randy Mazey tapped in Noah Short for starting hurler Jackson Wolf, who tossed 5.1 innings, striking out four. Short walked Daly to load the bases Zach Zubia lined into a double play at first.

Jacob Watters took the mound in the seventh, only allowed one hit, and kept the Longhorns off the board as the Mountaineers hold on for the 5-4 decision.

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