Mountaineers Plate 12 in Four-Inning Surge to Take Series Opener at Liberty

The West Virginia was held scoreless for four innings, but the bats came alive and the Mountaineers (4-0) posted 12 runs in four innings to hammer the Liberty Flames (2-2) Friday night 12-0.

West Virginia starting right-hander Chansen Cole threw 5.1 scoreless innings and recorded seven strikeouts, while allowing just two hits. The sophomore put Liberty in scoring position in the third after a walk and a wild pitch, and junior Ryan Drumm doubled in the fourth, but on both occasions with one out on the board, Cole bore down, the runners remained on an island at second and combined for four strikeouts.

West Virginia grabbed the lead and the momentum in the fifth after four scoreless innings. Senior Sean Smith hit a leadoff single to right field, stole second before senior Brock Willis squeezed a single through the left side for an RBI single. Willis would steal second before senior Brodie Kresser lined an RBI double to left centerfield. With runners on second and third, sophomore Matt Ineich hit a sacrifice fly to cap a three-run fifth.

Smith added to the lead in the sixth with a two-out solo home run over the left field wall for a 4-0 advantage.

Cole found himself in a jam in the sixth with one and two runners aboard, and after 81 pitches on the evening, head coach Steve Sabins turned the game over to right-hander Reese Bassinger. The senior left the runners stranded with back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the inning unscathed.

West Virginia broke the game open in the seventh after Armani Guzman received a four-pitch walk. The junior stole second and reached third on an errant throw in an attempted pick off play before senior Paul Schoenfeld laid down a bunt to score Guzman and reached on the throw to home.

Following a double steal to place runners at second and third, Smith registered his second RBI of the day with a ground ball to third. Then, with two outs, Kresser and junior Tyrus Hall delivered RBI singles to extend the lead, 8-0.

With the bases loaded in the eighth, Schoenfeld blasted a grand slam well over the right field wall for the 12-0 WVU lead.

Bassinger went 1.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Sophomore lefty Joshua Surigao took the mound in the eighth for his first appearance as a Mountaineers and recorded a pair of strikeouts. Then, sophomore Bryant Yoak registered the final three outs, registers a two Ks as the Mountaineer arms total 14 strikeouts on the evening to complete the shutout with a 12-0 decision.

West Virginia and Liberty will wrap up the series on Saturday with a doubleheader. The first game is set for 1:00 p.m. EST and game two of the doubleheader will begin approximately 45 minutes following the conclusion of game one. All the action will stream on ESPN+.