West Virginia Rallies to Take Series-Opener Over Kansas

The Mountaineers win slugfest against the Jayhawks

Lawrence, KS – The West Virginia Mountaineers (17-12, 6-4) produced eight runs in the final three innings to take the series opener from the Kansa Jayhawks (15-12, 7-6) Friday night 11-10.

West Virginia senior Kyle West gave the Mountaineers the early lead with a 391-foot solo home run in the second inning. 

Senior Lenny Ashby responded in the bottom of the inning, tying the game at one with a home run.

Kansas grabbed the lead in the third when an error from shortstop Brodie Kresser allowed senior John Nett to reach first. Then, with two outs and two runners on, junior Ben Hartl lined an RBI single into left field for the 2-1 lead.

The Jayhawks tacked on a run in the fourth after West Virginia starting pitcher Aidan Major walked the bases loaded and Nett hit a deep RBI sacrifice fly to centerfield for a 3-1 advantage.

West Virginia tied the game in the fifth, scoring both runs with two outs on the board. JJ Wetherholt returned to the lineup, his first appearance since the fourth game of the season, and after recording singles in his first two at bats, the junior received a four-pitch walk. Sophomore Logan Sauve also returned to the starting lineup since after missing 15 games and he singled to right field before sophomore Sam White delivered an RBI single back up the middle and senior Reed Chumley ripped an RBI double down the left field line to tie the game at three.

Kansas responded in the bottom of the frame and the damage started with Aidan Major beginning the inning putting two on. Redshirt junior Michael Brooks laid down the bunt to advance the runners, then redshirt senior Collier Cranford hit a high chopping groundball to third for the sacrifice RBI and Ashby collected his second RBI of the evening with an RBI single line drive down the right field line to put the Jayhawks up two, 5-3.

Kansas tacked on two runs in the sixth with senior Jake English lining a two-RBI double into the gap of left-centerfield as the Jayhawks extended the lead 7-3.

West Virginia reclaimed the lead with a six-run seventh inning.  With the bases loaded, sophomore Grant Hussey got the rally started with a single to left field for a pair of RBIs. Kyle West bounced an RBI single through the right side. Then, freshman Spence Barnett flared a two-RBI single to right field and Wetherholt capped off the inning with a sacrifice RBI to right field as the Mountaineers held a 9-7 lead.

Kansas regained the lead in the eighth when Jake English hit an opposite field two-run home run to tie the game and Michael Brooks smacked a double to right-centerfield, scoring pinch runner Mike Koszewski from first as the Jayhawks took a 10-9 lead into the ninth.

Junior Brodie Kresser tied the game at 10 with a one-out a 346-foot solo home run. Then, with two outs, Spencer Barnett singled through the right side. Freshman Armani Guzman came into the game as a pinch runner, proceeded to steal second, before Wetherholt one-hopped an RBI double off the left field wall for the 11-10 WVU lead.

West Virginia reliever, redshirt sophomore David Hagaman, put two on in the bottom of the ninth before head coach Randy Mazey called in senior Hambleton Oliver. He struck out one and recorded the final out of the game with a ground ball to third as the Mountaineers take game one 11-10.