West Virginia Wallops Dayton 12-6
The West Virginia Mountaineers closed out the seven-inning doubleheader against the Dayton Flyers with a dominating 12-6 decision Sunday evening.
West Virginia starting pitcher Daniel Ouderkirk got into trouble in the second inning, walking the bases loaded with two outs before Mariano Ricciardi drove the 1-2 pitch into the gap in left-centerfield for a two-RBI single to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead. After four straight balls, head coach Randy Mazey tabbed in Noah Short, who retired the side.
In the bottom of the inning with one out, Victor Scott provided a one-out single. Then, Flyer hurler, Ben Olson walked the bases loaded before Tyler Doanes cleared the bases, ripping a double deep into the gap left-center gap for a three-RBI triple and giving the Mountaineers the lead, 3-2.
Dayton answered in the top of the third after consecutive singles from Riley Tirotta and Chris Cabrera and catcher interference loaded the bases. Short walked in the tying run, prompting Mazey to call on Beau Lowery. Mitchell Garrity hit an RBI sacrifice fly to centerfield to reclaim the lead, 4-3.
West Virginia started to shuffle through the Dayton bullpen in the bottom of the fourth inning. Vincent Ippoliti started it off with a single, and Kevin Brophy drove a double into right-center. Then, Doanes drew a walk to load the bases before Matt McCormick, and Paul McIntosh were both hit by pitches, giving the Mountaineers the 5-4 advantage.
In the fifth, the Mountaineers faced five Dayton pitchers and extended their lead with a three-run inning. Nathan Blasick faced four pitches for a leadoff walk before Victor Scott ripped a single to put runners at the corners. Ippoliti brought in Blasick on a sac fly to centerfield. Then, with two outs and two on, Austin Davis hit a high fly ball into shallow left field that dropped in for a two-RBI double, pushing the lead up to 8-4.
West Virginia poured it on in the sixth when William Bean drew a leadoff walk before Nathan Blasick blasted the ball over the left-centerfield wall for a two-run home run. Victor Scott worked a walk, stole second and then, Ippoliti ripped an RBI double down the left field line. He advanced to third on a sac fly from Kevin Brophy and took home on a sacrifice ground ball to third as the Mountaineers went up 12-4.
Jacob Watters took the mound in the final inning for the Mountaineers, giving up three walks, a hit, and two runs forcing Mazey to go back to his bullpen. With two outs and two on, Carter Lyles took the hill. Jay Curtis poked an infield single off the end of his bat to load the bases but Lyles got Garrity to ground out to first as the Mountaineers hold for the 12-6 decision.
West Virginia is back in action on Friday as the Mountaineers travel to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns in a three-game weekend series with the first pitch set for Friday night at 7:30 EST.
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