West Virginia Rides Early Offensive Surge to 10-3 Win Over Maryland

West Virginia plates 10 runs in the first four innings behind a strong offensive showing to down the Terrapins.

West Virginia University utility player Gavin Kelly | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The West Virginia Mountaineers (11-3) hammered the Maryland Terrapins (10-6) Tuesday afternoon with a 10-3 decision.  

West Virginia jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Maryland starting pitcher, redshirt freshman Nic Morlang, issued walks to sophomores Matt Ineich and Gavin Kelly in nine pitches to begin the game, setting up and RBI single for senior Paul Schoenfeld and senior Matthew Graveline grounded out to short, scoring Kelly for his 14th RBI of the season and a 2-0 lead.

The Mountaineers broke the game open in the second and took a commanding 6-0 lead. After junior Armani Guzman received a walk, he stole second before junior Tyrus Hall dug out an RBI single to left centerfield. Ineich followed with a first pitch single back up the middle to place runners at the corners. Then, an attempted double steal scored Guzman, while Ineich was thrown at second. Kelly was issued his second walk of the afternoon and Schoenfeld drove an RBI triple to centerfield.

Maryland head coach Matt Swope called to the bullpen for junior lefty Landon Edwards. Graveline welcomed Edwards with an RBI single back up the middle to give WVU a 6-0 advantage.

In the third with the bases loaded, Kelly singled to centerfield for a pair of RBIs and an 8-0 Mountaineer lead.

The West Virginia bats continued in the fourth when senior Brodie Kresser hit a one-out double off the left field wall and senior Brock Wills brought him around with a line drive RBI single to right field. Smith stepped in and singled to right field before Guzman lined an RBI single back up the middle as the Mountaineers held a massive 10-0 advantage.

Maryland put up three runs in the ninth as the Mountaineers coasted to a 10-3 win.

West Virginia returns to action on Friday for the first of a three-game weekend series at Baylor. Game one is set for 7:30 p.m. EST, game two is on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST and the series finale is scheduled for Sunday at noon EST. All the action will stream on ESPN+.