WVU Takes on Georgia Southern in the Season-Opener

West Virginia opens the season with a three-game weekend series at Georgia Southern Friday evening with the first pitch for game one set for 6:30 p.m. and streaming on ESPN+.

The Mountaineers missed the postseason last year after a 33-22 season and a 14-10 Big 12 Conference record but fell in the first two games of the conference tournament and were left out of the NCAA tournament.

“The way the season ended last year makes for a long off season when you think you’re getting a chance to play in the NCAA tournament but don’t get that chance, it puts that proverbial chip on your shoulder,” said WVU head coach Randy Mazey.

West Virginia returns its leading hitter in catcher Dayne Leonard. The senior ended last season on an 11-game hitting streak, including five multi-hit games and batted .410 during the stretch.

Also returning are sophomores J.J. Wetherholt and Grant Hussey. Wetherholt hit a team-leading 17 doubles a year ago while Hussey hit a team-high 11 homeruns.

The Mountaineers have relied on their speed to manufacture runs in recent years but with the departure of the single season stolen base record holder Victor Scott’s 38 swipes last year and Austin Davis taking his 29 stolen bases and leaving the program for TCU, Mazey says this year will be a little different.

“You got to kind of coach the team you have. I think we’ll hit more homeruns this year than we did last year, and we won’t steal as many bases, he said. “We’re still going to run some but if the guy at the plate is capable of hitting a homer the last thing you want to do is make an out take a guy off the bases ahead of him, so it will be a little bit of a different feel.”

Left-hander Ben Hampton will look to build off an 8-5 sophomore season and will get the nod on opening day. He posted a 4.66 ERA with 90 strikeouts on the year.

“We’re expecting good things from him this year,” Mazey said. “He won eight games last year and if people progress the way they’re supposed to then he should have a better year than that but that’s hard to do as you know in this league. He’s going to be a guy that we’re counting on every time he toes the rubber that the Mountaineers have a pretty good chance to win.”

Behind Hampton, Cal State Northridge Blaine Traxel will take the mound in game two. The right-hander posted a 7-4 record with a 3.00 ERA last season.

“We’ve got a pretty talented and deep staff of pitchers. I don’t think we have a guy that’s going to be super dominant,” Mazey said before stating they do not have former Mountaineers hurler and current Toronto Blue Jays Cy Young finalist Alek Manoah. Of course, not many programs do. However, Mazey continued by adding he felt he had eight quality starters on the roster.

“That’s a pretty good feeling to know that you have that many guys that you feel good enough about that could start, but when it comes right down to it only four of them get the ball against another team and the other four you got to find spots for them. So, it’s been super competitive and guys are competing against each other and I really feel good about 10 or 12 guys on this staff, which is pretty rare.”

West Virginia will be tested early and often before the start of the Big 12 Conference slate. The Mountaineers’ first three opponents of the season are against programs that made the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

The opening series opponent Georgia Southern is coming off an historic season after hosting its first ever NCAA regional before a midweek matchup versus Maryland, and then, travel to Arizona before an exhibition against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

West Virginia faces two more opponents with 2022 NCAA credentials. A midweek contest against on the road against VCU and a three-game series at UNC Greensboro.

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