West Virginia Steals Series Opener at No. 12 TCU

Mountaineers ninth inning heroics strike again.

Ft. Worth, TX - The West Virginia Mountaineers (15-9) pulled off the upset over the No. 12 TCU Horned Frogs (18-8) Friday evening 3-2. 

The Horned Frogs stuck early in the bottom of the first inning when, with two outs, David Bishops ripped a double into left-centerfield and Gray Rodgers delivered a single, bring Bishops across the plate for the 1-0 lead. Then, Tommy Sacco doubled into right-centerfield but as Rodgers rounded third, he stumbled and was tagged at the plate, limiting to a damage run. 

West Virginia left runners stranded at the corners in the fifth, but in the sixth, Austin Davis singled back up the middle. He applied pressure on TCU starting pitcher Riley Cornelio, stealing second then swiping third before a wild pitch score Davis tying the game at one. 

Mountaineers starting pitcher Jacob Watters registered his third start of the season, making the shift from reliever to his first day one start of the season, tossing six innings allowing the one run on four hits and eight strikeouts on the evening. 

Luke Savage took the hill in the seventh for the Horned Frogs and West Virginia immediately threatened to take the lead after Vince Ippoliti drew a leadoff walk and Braden Barry singled into left, putting two on with no outs. Dayne Leonard laid down a bunt to advance the runners. Then, pinch hitter Tyler Cox hit a chopper back to the pitcher and a committed Barry forced a play at the plate and but he didn't make it in time and Mountaineers came out of the inning without a run. 

Trey Braithwaite came in relief in the seventh. Kurtis Byrne worked a walk off a full count to lead off the inning. Then, Logan Maxwell hit a sharp ground ball over to first that ricocheted off the glove of Grant Hussey but into the mitt of second baseman Alex Khan and got the force out at first. Braithwaite struck out Elijah Nunez before intentionally Brayden Taylor putting runners at first and second with two outs. A wild pitch advanced the runners and a breaking ball got by catcher Dayne Leonard, scoring Byrne as TCU reclaimed the lead 2-1.

Savage faced the minimum in the eighth setting up River Ridings for the save but the Mountaineers wouldn't go away quietly. 

Ben Abernathy hit a one-out single before Braden Barry flared a single into the gap in right-centerfield, placing runners at the corners. Head coach Randy Mazey sent McGwire Holbrook to pinch hit. Barry stole second on the first pitch. Then, on the 2-2 count, Abernathy stole home and, on the slide, kicked the ball out of the catcher's glove, and as the ball rolled to the backstop, Barry crossed the plate, and the Mountaineers took the lead 3-2. 

UN-BE-LIEVABLE‼️

The Mountaineers lead it in the ninth!! #HailWV pic.twitter.com/tOQb2GhxkU

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) April 2, 2022

Braithwait walked Luke Boyers to lead off the ninth, and after falling behind 2-0, Mazey called out to his bullpen for Noah Short. 

Short got back into the count, evening at 2-2 but Byrne got the walk. Short retired the next two before walking the bases loaded but   as the caught Bishop looking as the Mountaineers pull off the upset 3-2.

West Virginia and TCU will square off in game two Saturday at 3:00 pm and will be streaming on ESPN+.

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