WVU Baseball Drops Series Opener to Texas Tech 5-2

WVU Baseball opened their series with Texas Tech with a 5-2 loss on Friday. 

Coming off a nail-biting Backyard Brawl victory where they did just enough, the Mountaineers saw plenty of opportunities against the Red Raiders but couldn’t plate the tying run. 

Second baseman JJ Wetherholt tried to manufacture a run in the first. He singled to right, taking second on a balk, before going down on an attempted steal of third base to end the inning.

Catcher Dayne Leonard walked and right fielder Caleb McNeely doubled to put two runners in scoring position in the second. Third baseman Ellis Garcia doubled to the gap in left center to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead.

Bottom 2 | Red Raiders 0, Mountaineers 2@EllisJaden23 puts WVU out in front!#HailWV pic.twitter.com/65DFk1Qt5v

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) May 12, 2023

Mountaineer starter Ben Hampton didn’t allow a base runner until the third inning, when Texas Tech designated hitter Ty Coleman singled to begin the frame. Coleman took second on a groundout, and an RBI double from left fielder Nolen Hester cut the lead to 2-1.

Red Raiders’ third baseman Kevin Bazzell began the fourth with a home run that tied the game. A walk and a double put runners in scoring position, and Texas Tech took a 3-2 lead with a groundout.

Offense Bogs Down

The Mountaineers loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but couldn’t scrape the tying run across. 

Designated hitter Logan Sauve singled and Wetherholt walked in the seventh. Left fielder Landon Wallace grounded out on a payoff pitch (avoiding a double play as the runners were already off), but the Mountaineers came up empty handed again. 

Reliever Aidan Major racked up a strikeout in the eighth on a pitch clock violation. 

The Red Raiders plated a pair of insurance runs in the ninth with a double from second baseman Austin Green.

Garcia walked and shortstop Tevin Tucker singled to bring Wetherholt to the plate as the tying run. Wetherholt flied out and Wallace punched out to end the game.

WVU now moves to 37-13 on the season (13-6 Big 12). Their series with the Red Raiders continues at 4 pm Saturday.