West Virginia Overwhelmed in Series Opener Against BYU 14-5

Provo, UT – The West Virginia Mountaineers (20-4, 2-3) dropped the series opener to the BYU Cougars (14-9, 4-3) Thursday night 14-5.

West Virginia jumped out to an early lead in the top of the second inning and the Mountaineers did all the damage with two outs on the board. Freshman Gavin Kelley was beaned on the 1-1 pitch. Next, senior Grant Hussey drove a line drive single to place runners at the corners before redshirt junior Chase Swain smacked a two-RBI single to right field.

After sophomore Spencer Barnett worked a walk, senior Brodie Kresser drilled a two-RBI double off the top of the left wall to cap off a four-run second inning and a 4-0 WVU lead.

In the bottom of the frame, West Virginia starting pitcher Griffin Kirn walked two and gave up a single to junior Easton Jones to load the bases before the senior walked in a run.

BYU cut the deficit to two in the third after Luke Anderson hit a leadoff double and junior Bryker Hurdsman singled into the gap in left-centerfield for the RBI.

The Cougars produced six runs in the fifth inning. Kirn left the game after giving up an RBI single to Anderson. Then, junior right-hander Luke Lyman took the mound loaded the bases with a walk and a hit batter and head coach Steve Sabins called out to his bullpen for freshman righty Benjamin Hudson.

Hudson forced a pop up over second base led to a run after shortstop Brodie Kresser fell when making the catch to score the tying run.

Easton Jones gave the Cougars the lead, dropping a double down the right field line. Sabins, again, called out to his bullpen after Hudson loaded the bases with a walk and senior Reese Bassinger got the call. Then, on the 2-2 pitch, Crew pulled a three RBI double down the left field line and BYU held a four-run advantage 8-4.

BYU added a run in the sixth with a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield from senior Brock Watkins for the 9-4 lead.

Luke Anderson completed his 5-5 night collecting his second and third RBIs with a double down the line in right field to extend the BYU lead, 11-4.

The Cougars added three runs in the eighth after Watkins collected his third RBI of the evening. Then with two-outs and one on, junior Parker Goff ripped a hard ground ball down the third base line that rolled all the way to the corner of left field for the two-RBI inside the park home run as BYU took game one with the 14-5 decision.

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