West Virginia Falls in Game One to Columbia

The West Virgnia Mountaineers (8-3) dropped game one of a three-game weekend series to the Columbia Lions (2-5) Friday afternoon 7-4.

The Lions took a commanding lead with a five-run second inning. After West Virginia starting pitcher Dawson Montesa started the season 2-1 and held a 3.18 ERA, the junior right-hander struggled to find his groove on Friday.

Senior Cole Fellows led the inning with a double to centerfield, sophomore Tate Vogler worked a full count walk before sophomore Ben Fishel doubled down the left field line for a pair runs. Junior Hunter Snyder followed with a single to left field to place runners at the corners and Montesa walked sophomore Jimmy Chadwell, loading the bases. Then, with two outs, senior Jack Kail singled back up the middle, scoring two, and junior Owen Estabrook squeezed a single through the right side to give Columbia a 5-0 advantage.

Senior Ian Korn took the mound in the fifth and after walking two and with one out on the board, sophomore Anthony Temesvary lined a single to centerfield for a 6-0 lead.

West Virginia got on the board in the bottom of the frame after senior Sean Smith received a leadoff walk, then senior Brodie Kresser hit a one-out double down the left field line before junior Tyrus Hall grounded to third to plate Smith, then an errant throw notched another run after sophomore Matt Ineich rolled a ball to short to cut the deficit to three, 5-2.

After Armani Guzman worked a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of the sixth, made his way to third on an errant throw, stole third, and scored on a wild pitch.

The Mountaineers were within two in in the seventh after Kresser started the inning with a walk, Ineich hit a one-out single to right-centerfield and sophomore Gavin Kelly hit a sacrifice RBI to right field as the Lions held a 6-4 lead.

Columbia added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Chadwell singled up the middle and sophomore Jackson Brewer drove an RBI double to centerfield as the Lions take the 7-4 decision for their second win of the season.

The Mountaineers and Lions will square off Saturday afternoon in game two of the series. The first pitch is set for noon and the action will stream on ESPN+.