Mountaineers Rally from Five-Run Deficit to Outslug BYU

The West Virginia Mountaineers (15-4, 4-1) rallied from five runs back to topple the BYU Cougars (10-11, 2-3) Friday afternoon 12-10. WVU senior Paul Schoenfeld was a perfect 5-5 at the plate with a pair of doubles and two RBI and senior Brodie Kresser and sophomore Gavin Kelly led the Mountaineers with three RBI apiece, while Ian Korn collected his first win of the season in relief.

BYU junior Crew McChesney hit a put the Cougars on on the board in the top of the second inning with a leadoff home run.

West Virginia answered in the bottom of the frame after Kresser and senior Brock Wills led the inning with consecutive singles before junior Armani Guzman placed a sacrifice fly ball to left field to tie the game at one.

The Cougars put up three runs in the third and did their damage with two outs. Sophomore Cole Chansen walked three consecutive batters to load the bases - all worked full counts - and McChesney lined a three-RBI double to right-centerfield for a 4-1 BYU lead.

West Virginia answered in the bottom of the inning when junior Tyrus Hall hit a leadoff single to centerfield and with one out, Kelly and Schoenfeld hit back-to-back RBI doubles to close the gap to a run, 4-3.

After Chansen gave up a a single and a double to begin the fourth. Then, heavy rain caused a weather delay and WVU head coach Steve Sabins opted to return to action with sophomore Mac Stiffler. First baseman Armani Guzman saved a run, tossing the bunt back home for the first out of the inning. Sophomore Tu'alau Wolfgramm stretched the lead with an RBI single back up the middle. Chansen issued a walk to load the bases and Sabins went back to the bullpen. First for lefty Bryson Thacker, but the redshirt junior walked in a run, then Korn stepped in. Junior Ryder Robinson flared a two-RBI single to left field to capture an 8-3 lead before Korn got out of the inning.

In the fifth, West Virginia pulled back within on. The Mountaineers loaded the bases, following singles from sophomore Matt Ineich, Schoenfeld, and senior Matt Graveline before Kresser delivered a two-RBI single back up the middle. Then, with two outs, Guzman hit a hard one hopper off the glove of first baseman Ezra McNaughton to bring in a run, and Hall worked a walk to cap a four-run fifth as the Cougars were clinging on to an 8-7 lead.

Kresser tied the game in the sixth with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

West Virginia seized the lead in the seventh when, with two outs and two aboard, Kelly ripped a two-RBI triple to right centerfield and Schoenfeld followed with an RBI double down the left field line, and moved to third and crossed home plate on wild pitches for a 12-8 advantage.

Korn gave up a two-run home run in the top of the ninth before freshman David Perez jogged to the mound to record the final three outs as the Mountaineers rallied, then held on for the 12-10 decision.