WVU Baseball Rolls Past Kennesaw State 16-2

WVU Baseball continued their unbeaten start to the season on Friday, March 7, rolling past the Kennesaw State Owls 16-2 in Morgantown.

The Mountaineers (13-0) logged 18 hits, including four hit performances from Sam White and Skylar King. West Virginia and Kennesaw State traded two-out runs in the bottom of the second and top of the third, the Owls’ coming on a home run against Mountaineers’ starter Griffin Kirn. The left-handed transfer completed 5.1 innings on 93 pitches, punching out six batters and allowing a pair of solo homers.

White doubled down the right field line to break the tie in the bottom of the third, then Jace Rinehart clubbed a homer to straightaway center on the following pitch, putting the Mountaineers ahead 4-1. The Owls chased Kirn from the game in the sixth inning after putting a pair of runners aboard, then West Virginia’s bullpen stepped up for 3.2 hitless innings.

Their heroics ended up unnecessary, however, as West Virginia blew the game open in the seventh inning, a nine run onslaught that sent 13 Mountaineers to the plate. As per usual, they scored via small ball, with just two extra base hits in the frame: a double from White to get things started, then another from Logan Sauve to plate a run and keep the line moving. While WVU led 15-2 by the time the dust settled, the teams played on instead of enacting the run rule, giving the Mountaineers a chance to work their bench into the game.

WVU Baseball continues their series with the Owls at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 8.