WVU Baseball Pummels Marshall in Run Rule Win

WVU Baseball earned a run rule win over Marshall on Wednesday, April 8, winning 12-2 on an eighth inning walk-off single from freshman Zahir Barjam.

The Mountaineers (22-7, 8-4 Big 12) scored three runs via small ball in the first inning. Matt Ineich led off the game with a single, taking second on a wild pitch before coming home on a Gavin Kelly base hit. A Sean Smith double put two runners in scoring position, and Armani Guzman bunted a run home before baiting a throw to second on a double steal that plated Smith.

Kelly doubled home another run in the second, helping West Virginia extend its lead to 5-1. Head Coach Steve Sabins opted for a bullpen game, pulling starter David Hagen after two innings and turning to Ben McDougal, Ian Korn and Carson Estridge to finish the game. The relievers managed to coast into the sixth inning when West Virginia’s offense woke up again, loading the bases with two outs.

A wild pitch scratched one run across, then Smith doubled home two more. Brock Wills notched an RBI single and scored on a Tyrus Hall groundout the following inning, putting the Mountaineers ahead 10-2.

Kelly singled and Paul Schoenfeld doubled to put the winning run on second base in the eighth: Guzman grounded out, then Barjam called game with a blooper to left-center.

Up next, WVU Baseball will travel to face Texas Tech at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 10 for the start of a three-game weekend series.