West Virginia Mistakes Continue, Dropping Game 1 to No. 5 TCU

The West Virginia Mountaineers (15-19) dropped the opening game of a three-game series against the No. 5 TCU Horned Frogs (31-10) 8-2 Friday night.

Leadoff hitter Austin Davis (3-4, RBI, Run) bunted down the first baseline to begin the bottom of the first, and Mikey Kluska (0-3) followed suit before Tyler Doanes (1-4, RBI) laced a double down the left field line, scoring Davis to give the Mountaineers an early 1-0 advantage.

West Virginia starting pitcher Jackson Wolf pitched a flawless four innings, striking out nine and only walking one, but the Horned Frogs started putting the barrel to the ball in the fifth after Hunter Wolfe (1-4, 2 Runs, BB) led off the inning a 12-pitch walk. Gray Rodgers (3-4, 3 RBI, 3 Runs) grabbed TCU’s first hit with a single into left field, and Phillip Sikes (2-4, 2 RBI, BB) moved Wolfe to third on a sacrifice fly to right field. Luke Boyers poked a single into shallow right field, scoring Wolf and tying the game at one. Rodgers and Boyers advanced to second and third on a wild pitch before Tommy Sacco hit a groundball back up the middle for the two-RBI double as the Horned Frogs grabbed a 3-1 lead.

The Mountaineers got a run back in the bottom of the inning after TCU starting pitcher Russell Smith walked two and was taken out for reliever Drew Hill. He walked the first batter he faced, giving the Mountaineers the bases loaded with one out. Austin Davis delivered a single through the right side, scoring one, but the inning ended on a 5-3 double play on the next at bat.

TCU tacked on another run in the sixth when Gene Wood hit a one-out single to first. Then, with two outs, Wood (1-3, 2 Runs, BB) took second on a pickoff attempt at first after shortstop Mikey Kluska missed the tag at second for the innings final out. The mistake proved costly after a base hit into centerfield was bobbled allowing Wood to score from second to put the Horned Frogs back up two, 4-2.

Noah Short took the mound in the seventh and found himself in a hole after TCU loaded the bases with one out, but a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning. However, in the eight, after walking leadoff hitter Gray Rodgers, Sikes tripled into the right-centerfield gap, extending the Horned Frogs lead 5-2. West Virginia head coach Randy Mazey called out to his bullpen for the right-hander Madison Jeffrey, who retired the side, leaving Sikes stranded at third.

The Horned Frogs broke the game open in the ninth, doing all their damage with two outs, scoring three runs to take the 8-2 lead, and holding on for the six-point decision.

West Virginia and TCU meet for game two Saturday afternoon, with the first pitch set for 2:00 pm EST.

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the page's top righthand corner.

Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter:

Facebook - @WVUonSI

Twitter - @SI_WVU and Christopher Hall @WVHallBilly

Add us as a preferred source on Google