West Virginia Takes the Series Opener Over Utah, Extends Winning Streak to Five

Morgantown, WV – West Virginia starting pitcher Griffin Kirn notched 14 strikeouts and senior Grant Hussey hit a game-winning two-run in the eighth to lead the Mountaineers (25-4, 5-3) past the Utah Utes (13-14, 2-8) Friday night in game one of the three game series with a 6-3 decision.

Utah senior Drake Digiorno put the game’s first run on the board with his first home run of the season for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.

West Virginia took the lead in the bottom of the third when senior Kyle West ripped a solo home run to centerfield on his first pitch of the inning, then on the very next pitch, senior Jace Rinehart blasted a 415-foot home run over the left field wall for his team-high sixth home run of the season and a 2-1 edge over the Utes.

Junior Logan Suave extended the Mountaineer lead in the fifth, driving the 1-1 pitch to left-centerfield for a solo home run and a 3-1 advantage.

Senior starting pitcher Griffin Kirn went 6.2 innings, and recorded 14 strikeouts on the night, the most since Aidan Major had 13 strikeouts against Oklahoma State last season.

Kirn left the game in the seventh with two on and two outs before head coach Steve Sabins called in Chase Meyer. The sophomore beaned the first Utah hitter he faced before giving up a two-RBI game tying single back up the middle.

In the bottom of the eight, after Utah sophomore starting pitcher Colter McAnelly registered nine strikeouts and limited to one of the best offenses in the Big 12 to three runs in a 124-pitch effort, senior right-hander Jackson Elder entered the game in the eighth with one and one out with West Virginia’s all-time home run leader at the plate, Grant Hussey. Then, on the 2-2 pitch, Grant Hussey hit a 432-foot two-run bomb to give the Mountaineers a 5-3 lead.

West Virginia scratched another run across the plate in the eighth when after a sophomore Jack Kleveno checked the runner at third, but the throw was well over the head of third baseman Tyler Quinn as the Mountaineers took the series opener 6-3.

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