WVU Allows a Five Run Eighth Inning and Drops Game Four 6-5.

The Mountaineers fell in the series finale against the 49ers.

Charlotte - West Virginia held a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning until a wild eight inning allowed five Charlotte (4-4) runs as the 49ers took game four from the Mountaineers (4-4) Sunday afternoon 6-5.

"They didn't do anything to beat us, we just did everything to give the game away - walked two, hit two in the eighth inning and don't catch a fly ball," said WVU head coach Randy Mazey.  

West Virginia produced two runs in the second when sophomore Benjamin Lumsden received a four-pitch walk, sophomore Ellis Garcia singled into shallow centerfield and junior Grant Hussey moved the runners into scoring position. Then, junior Kyle West ripped a single back up the middle, scoring Lumsden and Garcia for a 2-0 WVU lead. 

Mountaineers' starting pitcher Carson Estridge gave up a one out walk in the fourth to Noah Furcht. Senior Brandon Stahlman hit a groundball to first, moving Furcht to second. Estridge gave up third on a wild pitch before junior Rene Lastres hit an RBI single into rightfield for the 49ers first run of the game. 

Estridge took the mound in the sixth but after walking the leadoff hitter on six pitches, senior reliever Oliver Hambleton took the mound and kept the 49ers off the board. 

West Virginia freshman Spencer Barnett grounded through the right side before sophomore Logan Sauve lined an RBI single to centerfield to put the Mountaineers up 3-1 in the fifth inning. 

The Mountaineers scored two runs in the seventh. Kyle West and Reed Chumley started the inning with consecutive singles, Barnett advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt, then Kylar King lined a single into right field for a pair of RBIs as West Virginia built a 5-1 lead. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Hambleton put two on and got one out before head coach Randy Mazey called in sophomore Maxx Yiehl, and on his second pitch, beaned Stahlman to load the bases. Mazey quickly signaled for sophomore David Hagaman.

Junior Rene Lastres delivered an RBI single into shallow right field and Juan Correa followed with a sharp groundball to short but the throw on the turn to end the inning on a double play was high as another crossed home plate. 

Hagaman hit senior Kaden Hopson to load the bases, then a high fly ball from Johnny Sutryk landed behind leftfielder Sam White, who clearly lost the ball in the sun, as three runs scored, and the Charlotte 49ers take the series finale with a 6-5 decision. 

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