Six-Run Third Inning Soars WVU Above No. 16 Central Michigan 13-8

Conway, South Carolina set the scene for the 2022 Mountaineer Baseball team to shine right out of the gate.

After West Virginia head coach Randy Mazey told the media that he foresaw the underclassmen leading the team this season, the players took that to heart. Sophomore righty Carlson Reed got the start for the Mountaineers and WVU assumed the role of visitor.

Senior Austin Davis lead off, but ended the first at-bat of his final season with a groundout to second. WVU was in good hands next, when, in his first college at-bat, J.J. Wetherholt connected to rocket the ball over the left field wall of Springs Brooks Stadium. Two batters in, the Mountaineers took a commanding 1-0 lead.

OK, kid 😏#HailWV | @jj_wetherholt pic.twitter.com/UoPaFtzMfB

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) February 18, 2022

In the second inning, Central Michigan’s catcher Adam Proctor had his own field day with a home run out the other side of the ballpark to tie the game. Five batter later, Mario Camilletti singled and drove in Jakob Marsee from third to give the Chippewas their only lead of the game.

That lead was short-lived when the Mountaineers took to the offense in the third inning. Wetherholt’s next at-bat, he made contact that sent the ball careening to left center, pulling Davis and redshirt junior Dayne Leonard home and ratcheting the score up 3-2.

🔥 JJ 🔥

Wetherholt's two-run double gives the Mountaineers a 3-2 lead in the third!#HailWV pic.twitter.com/mXO9QwffR5

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) February 18, 2022

Three batters later, freshman Grant Hussey found himself in prime position for game-changing action. His first collegiate hit followed Wetherholt’s homer out of the stadium, and in grand slam fashion. He trotted home after Nathan Blasick, Victor Scott, and Wetherholt to bring the score to an overwhelming 7-2. A six-run third was exactly what Mazey’s crew needed to solidify not only the starting lineup, but also the first dominant win of the season over a ranked opponent.

Huss Bus 🚌#HailWV | @Grant_Hussey616 pic.twitter.com/w18wCBAEzZ

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) February 18, 2022

Reed left after 2.2 IP and was replaced on the mound by senior lefty Beau Lowery, and the Mountaineers escaped the third inning unscathed.

The fourth inning brought even more scoring for WVU, when Davis connected and got himself to first base and Leonard home to ratchet the score to 8-2. Two batters and a CMU pitching change later, Scott singled up the middle and sent Davis home to secure the Mountaineers’ ninth run.

✌ more for the Mountaineers in the fourth.

WVU leads CMU, 9-2!#HailWV pic.twitter.com/o2KbMPSJlE

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) February 18, 2022

The fifth and sixth passed in respective 1-2-3 innings, as the Mountaineers maintained the 9-2 score. That seven-run lead was about to get even more extreme after “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” played.

Sophomore Mikey Kluska sent a ground ball to second, which moved Hussey to second and Scott home for his second run of the game and WVU’s 10th. Hussey wasn’t stuck in the middle for long. The next batter, freshman Evan Smith, doubled and sent Hussey home for the 11th Mountaineer run. Smith was caught at third which tamped the bleeding of an 11-2 Chippewa defecit.

When the eighth inning began, it was Davis once more to move his teammates home. His double hit the left field wall and redshirt junior Tevin Tucker scored the Mountaineers’ 12th run of the game. To add insult to injury on the Chippewas, Davis got to third on a wild pitch to the next batter, Wetherholt. Now, with two heads-up players in positions to make a difference, that’s exactly what they did. Wetherholt hit a single to left field that drove Davis home for the Mountaineers’ final score of the ballgame.

A 13-2 lead wasn’t particularly concerning for the Mountaineers, but the Chippewas were about to spice the game up in a last-stitch, comeback effort.

Marsee hit a home run off freshman righty Will Watson, WVU’s sixth pitcher. Watson was promptly taken out and replaced by fellow freshman righty Deaton Oak. Senior Chris Monroe came up three batters later and singled to bring Camilletti home for the Chippewas’ fifth run. When Marsee returned to the batter’s box, he added two RBIs with a single to right center; Robby Morgan and Colton Coca scored to cut the deficit to 13-6. When Morgan cycled back, he doubled to right center to score Kade Preston and cement the final score as a 13-8 Mountaineer victory.

Lowery got the win for WVU and the Mountaineers secured the first win of 2022 in dominating fashion. Next on the agenda: Kent State tomorrow at 11 a.m. to continue the South Carolina tournament.