West Virginia Hammered in the Baton Rouge Super Regional Opener

Baton Rouge, LA – The West Virginia pitching staff put 13 LSU hitters on base and the Tigers (47-15) cashed in, highlighted with two grand slams as the Mountaineers were overwhelmed in the first game of the NCAA Super Regionals 16-9.

West Virginia put the game’s first run on the board in the top of the second inning. Junior Sam White dropped a leadoff single to centerfield and freshman Gavin Kelly hit a line drive back up the middle off the arm of LSU starting pitcher Kade Anderson and in to left field for a base hit. Then, junior Skylar King laid a bunt down to advance the runners and senior Jace Rinehart hit a slow ground ball to third to score White for a 1-0 lead.

LSU captured the lead in the fourth. After West Virginia starting pitcher Griffin Kirn bean a pair of Tiger hitters to put two aboard, freshman Derek Curiel went opposite field for a three-run home run and a 3-1 LSU advantage.

In the fifth, Kirn gave up a leadoff single and the senior exited the game. He recorded three strikeouts on 82 pitches.

Redshirt freshman JJ Glascock took the mound. He walked the bases loaded and head coach Steve Sabins called out to the bullpen for Cole Fehrman. Then on the 2-2 pitch, sophomore Stephen Milam blasted a grand slam. The junior put two Tigers on the base paths with a walk and a hit batsman and, again, Saban indicated to the bullpen.

Senior Tyler Hutson walked to the mound. The right hander gave up an RBI single to Curiel and junior Chris Stanfield drove a two-RBI single to left-centerfield to cap a seven run fifth inning and a 10-1 lead.

West Virginia got back within striking distance in the sixth after senior Kyle West hit a leadoff single, White followed with a double down the right field line and King place a two-RBI single to right-centerfield. Then, with two aboard, redshirt junior Chase Swain single back up the middle to score King and Brodie Kresser brought in a run on a ground ball to the right side, and an errant throw on attempted double play brought in a run as the Mountaineers cut the deficit to five, 10-5.

The Mountaineers continued to struggle from the mound and the Tigers pounced in the bottom of the inning. Junior Jared Jones ripped a leadoff double and after a walk and a fielder’s choice to get the lead out, junior Luke Lyman entered the game. He loaded the bases after the fifth batsman and walked in a pair of runs before senior Josh Pearson blasted the second Tiger Grand Slam of the day for the 16-5 advantage.

West Virginia freshman Gavin Kelly hit his second home run of the season in the seventh with a two-run blast.

Senior Kyle West drove his team-leading 11th home run of the season, his first of the postseason, in the ninth, but West Virginia could not mount the massive comeback and drip game one, 16-9.

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