JJ Wetherholt, Victor Scott Spark Comeback in Pittsburgh in Front of Steve Sabins

Playing at PNC Park is nothing new for JJ Wetherholt and Victor Scott II, each of whom played there during their time at West Virginia in neutral field games. Last night, however, was the first time they took the field in Pittsburgh as teammates in the major leagues.

Scott has played against the Pirates in the 'Burgh several times over his first two years in the league, but for JJ, this was a big welcome home party. The Mars, PA native had a bunch of friends and family in attendance, including WVU head coach Steve Sabins and several others from the Mountaineer baseball program, who were there to show support for both guys.

Our guys!@Victor_Scott2 x @jj_wetherholt pic.twitter.com/nA0WkslNTC
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) April 27, 2026

After 6.2 innings of hitless ball and eight innings of being shut out, the Cardinals' bats came to life in the ninth. And in a storybook kind of way, Wetherholt came through in the clutch, drilling a ball over the right center field wall to tie the game up at two apiece in the top half of the ninth.

JJ Wetherholt GAME-TYING homer in the 9th!

He's hit a home run in three straight games 👏 pic.twitter.com/tlWdEDCZHc
— MLB (@MLB) April 28, 2026

Victor Scott II was not in the lineup to start the game, but he came in to pinch run in the ninth and gave the Cardinals the go-ahead run.

Victor with go ahead run in 9th @Victor_Scott2. Let’s go! pic.twitter.com/QFKfznyQ7k
— Steve Sabins (@stevesabins) April 28, 2026

The Cardinals held on to beat the Pirates 4-2, delivering a night to remember for all of those in attendance for the former Mountaineers.

Before the game, both were able to spend a few minutes with the media in the dugout, discussing their time at WVU.

“I had a breakout year my sophomore year there," Wetherholt said. "I think it was the kind of development that I got there, and just getting better and learning more, and all the resources that they had to help me grow. A lot of it was from a physical standpoint, just got a lot stronger and got some more tools. I needed to go to college, and it was great for me.”

While Randy Mazey was the head coach for the Mountaineers during JJ's time in the Old Gold and Blue, it was Steve Sabins who played a pivotal role in bringing Wetherholt to Morgantown.

“It’s a cool story. I was a sophomore in high school, maybe, or something like that, and he came all the way to Alderson Broaddus, which is a little D2 school in West Virginia. I ended up showing up late to the game because my mom thought it got rained out. It did not. So I got in late, but played a good game in front of him, and he was the one who offered me. That guy has been so helpful in my career, and he’s really building a great program over there.”

Victor Scott was also recruited primarily by Sabins and told reporters that he was the last guy they signed in his recruiting class. They were in on another outfielder from North Carolina and told him that if he accepted the offer before him, they wouldn't have a spot for him on the roster. The next morning, he called the coaches back and told them he wanted to be a Mountaineer.

“I learned a lot," Scott said about his time at WVU. "I got the opportunity to go play, experience, and learn from some great coaches. Randy Mazey taught me a lot. Coach Sabins, he’s high energy, and he taught me a lot as well. Mark Ginther, I mean, I could go down the whole coaching staff. Jacob Garcia. All of those guys were a part of my development in college.”

Scott and Wetherholt will be in Pittsburgh for the next three nights, taking on the Pirates. First pitch for tonight's game is set for 6:40 p.m. ET.

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