West Virginia Grabs Series Opener Over Xavier in Walk-Off Fashion

The Mountaineers come out on top after tough battle with Musketeers

Morgantown, WV - J.J. Wetherholt lined an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the West Virginia Mountaineers (17-5) a 5-4 walk-off win over the Xavier Musketeers Friday afternoon.

West Virginia put the game's first run on the board in the second when Sam White received a one-out walk and Landon Wallace singled into right field to set up an RBI single from Kevin Dowdell for the early 1-0 Mountaineer advantage. 

Jared Cushing tied the game at one for the Musketeers in the top of the third with a leadoff home run.

Sam White was another recipient of a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth, then Landon Wallace reclaimed the Mountaineer lead with a two-run home run over the left centerfield wall to go up 3-1.

In the top of the sixth, former Mountaineer slugger Matt McCormick crushed the 1-2 pitch well over the right field wall to tie the game at three.

West Virginia reclaimed the lead in the seventh. Kevin Dowdell smacked a double down the right field line into the corner, then Tevin Tucker singled on a bunt before Braden Barry laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring Dowdell, for the 4-3 lead. 

Following a pair of hits back up the middle, McCormick delivered an RBI single on a line drive to left field and the game was knotted at four. 

In the bottom of the ninth, Ellis Garcia produced a leadoff pinch hit single and freshman Tre Keels entered the game for Garcia as a pinch runner. A wild pitch advanced Keels to second. Tevin Tucker worked one out walk, then on the first pitch delivered to J.J. Wetherholt, the sophomore lined a single into left-centerfield, scoring Keels as the Mountaineers took the 5-4 decision.

West Virginia will look to clinch the series in game two of the three game series on Saturday with the first pitch set for 4:00 p.m. 

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