WVU Baseball Splits Home Doubleheader Against Texas Tech

WVU Baseball split their doubleheader against Texas Tech on Saturday, May 3 in Morgantown, dropping the rain delayed game one 6-4 before claiming the nightcap 3-2.

The opening loss marks the Mountaineers’ (38-7, 17-4 Big 12) first defeat at the hands of a conference opponent since Thursday, March 27 against BYU, and the first time they’ve lost consecutive games all season. West Virginia entered play on a 14 game conference winning streak.

Texas Tech took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game 1, aided through a pair of Mountaineers’ miscues: a fielding error and a balk. Grant Hussey cut the deficit to one run with a two strike homer to the opposite field during the third inning, then a 56 minute rain delay took place in the top of the fifth. The Red Raiders added a run via sacrifice fly the following frame, then loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh.

A double from Texas Tech right fielder Damian Bravo cleared the bases, pushing the Red Raiders ahead 6-1. The Mountaineers scored three runs in the bottom of the inning via a Spencer Barnett fielders’ choice and a Skylar King home run, remaining within striking distance. Although they loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, they couldn’t pull any closer.

Mountaineers Strike Back

Logan Sauve reached base thanks to a two-out error in the first inning of game two, then Sam White put the Mountaineers in front with an RBI double. Texas Tech tied the game in the third with a solo homer, but another White double immediately put West Virginia back in front; a Jace Rinehart single scored White.

Three Red Raiders’ singles made it 3-2 in the fourth. The Mountaineers almost inched ahead again in the bottom of the frame after Brodie Kresser reached via bunt and Gavin Kelly walked, but Kresser got caught on the basepaths during a double steal attempt, then Kelly got hosed at the plate after a Barnett single.

Starting pitcher Gavin Van Kempen exited early in the third inning with an injury, but Reese Bassinger stepped up to finish the game with seven innings in relief, striking out four on 86 pitches and allowing a pair of runs.

Up next, WVU Baseball looks to take the rubber match starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 4.