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West Virginia Baseball Walks Off Hofstra 6-5 in 10 Innings

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The West Virginia Mountaineers walked off the Hofstra Pride 6-5 in the tenth inning Wednesday evening. After getting spiked by Hofstra center fielder Dylan Palmer in the top of the tenth, Mountaineers first baseman Sam White had the last word with the game winning hit. 

Center fielder Braden Barry drew a four pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the first, advancing to third base with a pair of steals. Pride starter Sean Hamilton hit Mountaineers designated hitter Dayne Leonard high with a pitch, prompting the umpires to issue a warning. The warning incensed Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto, who argued with home plate umpire Michael Gerber at length, but Gerber elected to not eject him. 

Barry was called out at home on a comebacker to the mound by third baseman Caleb McNeely, who used the confusion to advance to second. First baseman Sam White singled both runners home to give West Virginia a 2-0 lead. 

Starter Gavin Van Kempen allowed a single and a walk to begin the third. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners over, and Hofstra center fielder Dylan Palmer blooped a single to right to tie the game 2-2. Pride third baseman Ryan Morash roped a line drive to shortstop Tevin Tucker, who threw to Wetherholt to double Palmer off second and end the inning. 

Left fielder Landon Wallace led off the fourth with a double. Right fielder Evan Smith reached on a bunt single to put runners at the corners, and catcher Logan Sauve hit a single of his own to make it 3-2. 

After two quick outs to begin the fifth, Hofstra chased Van Kempen from the game and worked a pair of walks. Morash hit a single against freshman Carson Estridge to make it 3-3. 

West Virginia loaded the bases in the sixth, and Sauve scored on a wild pitch to take a 4-3 lead. 

With a hard wind to left field for much of the game, it was only a matter of time before a ball left the park. Hofstra designated hitter Kevin Bruggeman drilled the first pitch he saw over the wall to give the Pride a 5-4 lead with two outs in the eighth. 

Wetherholt began the eighth with a single, making it to third on a steal thanks to a throwing error by Hofstra catcher Matt Pelcher. McNeely executed a squeeze bunt, and Wetherholt made it home safely to tie the game 5-5.

Sophomore Keegan Allen pitched two perfect innings in the ninth and tenth. 

McNeely doubled with two outs in the tenth, and White roped a 1-2 pitch to center to win it. 

West Virginia moves to 16-5 on the season. Up next is a three game home series with Xavier, starting at 6:30 pm on Friday night. 

Postgame Reaction After the Game

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