WVU Baseball’s 9-Game Win Streak Ends with 4-2 Loss to Hofstra

WVU baseball saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end on Tuesday, as the No. 24 Mountaineers fell 4-2 to the Hofstra Pride at home. Sophomore starter Aidan Major gave up two earned runs across six innings, but a pair of unearned scores sank the Mountaineers, whose offense ran cold after a hot start. West Virginia loaded the bases in the ninth but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Center fielder Braden Barry led off the first with a double, taking third on a wild pitch. Second baseman JJ Wetherholt singled him home, stealing second before moving to third on another wild pitch. Catcher Dayne Leonard grounded out to bring Wetherholt home and give West Virginia a 2-0 lead. Starter Aidan Major allowed his first base runner of the day in the third inning, when Hofstra shortstop Michael Florides singled with two outs, taking second on a throwing error. Designated hitter Dylan Palmer singled to make it 2-1. Pride third baseman Ryan Morash led off the fourth with a double, and right fielder Brian Morrell doubled him home to tie it at 2. 

Second baseman Santino Rosso singled, advancing on a groundout and then a wild pitch to give Hofstra a runner on third with one out. Mountaineers third baseman Ellis Garcia fielded a ground ball, looking off Rosso before throwing to first, allowing Major to get out of the fifth unscathed. 

Major wasn’t so lucky in the sixth, however, as Hofstra took a 4-2 lead with two outs, aided by a Leonard error. 

Noah Short relieved Major to begin the seventh, putting runners at the corners with a double and a single. Carlson Reed took over and punched out a pair on just seven pitches to end the inning. Reed went on to strike out three more across the eighth and ninth, keeping the Mountaineers in the game.

Shortstop Tevin Tucker got hit by a pitch and the Pride issued an intentional walk to Wetherholt to put two on with two out in the bottom of the seventh. Wetherholt and Tucker executed a double steal to move to second and third, respectively, but Leonard grounded out against Hofstra reliever Mike McKenna to end the threat. McKenna stayed on for the eighth, working a five-pitch frame. 

Left fielder Landon Wallace drew a one-out walk in the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate. Barry hit a double to put two runners in scoring position, and Hofstra intentionally walked Wetherholt to bring Leonard up. Hofstra closer Michael O’Hanlon worked a full-count strikeout to secure the save.

WVU baseball moves to 15-5 on the season. They’ll look to avoid the sweep starting at 3pm Wednesday.