No. 12 West Virginia Wins Wild, Rain-Delayed Opener in 13 Innings, 9-5

Four-run 13th inning lifts Mountaineers past Bearcats after overnight delay

West Virginia outfielder Benjamin Lumsden | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on Si

No. 12 West Virginia and the Cincinnati Bearcats (27-16, 8-1) series opener stretched into Saturday after the two programs went into extra innings and a rain delay postponed the contest, but the Mountaineers (27-10, 12-6) remained poised and took game one with a 9-5 decision after 13 innings.

West Virginia seized an early lead after sophomore Matt Ineich opened the game, working a leadoff walk before sophomore Gavin Kelly lifted the 1-1 pitch over the centerfield wall for a 2-0 Mountaineer lead.

West Virginia Ian Korn was added to the weekend rotation in the absence of an injured Maxx Yehl for his first start of the season. The graduate senior threw four scoreless inning before the Bearcats ran him off the mound in the fifth.

Junior Jack Natili got the Bearcats started with a leadoff single to left field. Then, freshman Enzo Infelise rolled a single through the right side, prompting WVU head coach Steve Sabins to talk to his right hander. Junior Cal Sefcik put Cincinnati on the board with an opposite field double into the gap of right centerfield for a an RBI double before senior Christian Mitchelle tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Sabins turned to senior Carson Estridge, and on the first pitch delivered by the senior, redshirt sophomore Charlie Niehaus lined a single to left field. Sophomore Jackson Smith followed with an RBI single and Niehaus scored on a wild pitch to cap a four-run fifth inning for the Bearcats to claim a 4-2 lead.

The Mountaineers tied the game in the top of the eighth when Kelly hit a leadoff single, but two consecutive fly balls kept him stranded at first and the inning looked in doubt. However, a pinch hit single from freshman Ryan Maggy, then senior Benjamin Lumsden ripped a two-RBI double to right field to even the game at four.

West Virginia senior reliever, and Stopper of the Year Candidate, Reese Bassinger took the mound in the eighth. With one out, redshirt freshman Ryan Tyranski powered a 401-foot home run over the right field wall for the 5-4 edge.

In the ninth, Ineich was issued his second walk of the game, Kelly followed with a single right field, placing runners at the corners. Then, senior Paul Schoenfeld hit a high fly ball to left field for an RBI single to tie the game at five.

In the bottom of the 12th with one out and Niehaus staring at a full count, the game was postponed due to the weather conditions and resumed Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore Cole Chansen, expecting to make the start in game three, made his appearance and picked up where Bassinger left off, registered the final strike on Niehaus and the final out of the frame.

The Mountaineers came out hot in the top of the 13thsenior Matthew Graveline hit a ground ball deep in the hole at short and beat the throw for a sinlge, senior Brock Wills laid down a bunt for a single and the duo advance on a wild pitch before redshirt freshman Maxwell Mollessa hit a line drive through the left side for a two-RBI single.

With two on, Schoenfeld placed an RBI bunt and Lumsden put the ball in play for an infield RBI single to cap a four-run frame.

Cincinnati loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but the Mountaineers ended the game on a 6-4-3 double play as the Mountaineers take the series opener 9-5.

The first pitch or game two is set for approximately 4:15 p.m. EST.