Blaine Traxel’s Complete Game Leads WVU Baseball to 10-0 Win Over Baylor

Pitcher Blaine Traxel’s complete game led the WVU baseball team to their seventh win in a row on Saturday, defeating the Baylor Bears 10-0.

Mountaineers’ starter Blaine Traxel threw his NCAA-leading fifth complete game of the season, striking out six and allowing six hits in the shutout win.

West Virginia’s offense blew the game open in the late innings, allowing them to win handily.

The Mountaineers loaded the bases with no outs in the first, but three straight strikeouts ended the scoring threat. They weren’t denied in the second inning, when second baseman JJ Wetherholt grounded out with the bases juiced to plate a run. 

Traxel faced the minimum through three innings: although he allowed a single in the third, a caught stealing erased it.

Wetherholt hit his tenth home run of the season in the seventh, doubling the lead to 2-0.

Wind blowing in, JJ still hits it out!

That was impressive!#HailWV | @jj_wetherholt pic.twitter.com/rXqaI8qk08

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) April 29, 2023

Catcher Logan Sauve singled, shortstop Tevin Tucker walked and left fielder Landon Wallace was hit by a pitch in the eighth. Right fielder Caleb McNeely drew another walk, designated hitter Dayne Leonard wore another pitch with the bases loaded and Wallace scored on a balk as the Mountaineers increased their lead to 5-0.

First baseman Grant Hussey began the ninth with a solo home run.

Wind is never really an issue for Huss! 💪

It's his team-leading 11th of the season!#HailWV | @Grant_Hussey616 pic.twitter.com/fkBjXOelEV

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) April 29, 2023

Center fielder Braden Barry doubled, Tucker walked and Wetherholt hit an infield single to load the bases. Wallace was hit by a pitch to score another run, and Evan Smith cleared the bases with a pinch-hit fly ball that Bears’ left fielder Gavin Brzozowski dropped to open a 10-0 lead.

WVU Baseball moves to 31-11 on the season (9-4 Big 12). They look to sweep the series at 12pm Sunday.