WVU Baseball Stomps Texas Tech 17-2 to Tie Series

WVU Baseball pulled even in their series with Texas Tech on Saturday thanks to a dominating 17-2 victory.

Starting pitcher Blaine Traxel pitch eight innings of two-run ball, striking out six batters on 115 pitches. The Mountaineers’ offense, meanwhile, leapt out to a massive lead early and never took their foot off the gas pedal, earning a massive victory to keep them atop the Big 12.

Center fielder Braden Barry lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score shortstop Tevin Tucker and get things started in the first.

First baseman Grant Hussey singled and right fielder Caleb McNeely doubled in the second, scoring on a sacrifice fly from third baseman Sam White and a fielder’s choice from designated hitter Logan Sauve, respectively. Barry drew a bases-loaded walk, as did catcher Dayne Leonard, to make it 5-0 in the second.

White walked, Sauve singled and second baseman JJ Wetherholt wore a pitch to load the bases in the third. Left fielder Landon Wallace brought them all home with a double that pushed the lead to 8-0.

Send them all home, Lando!#HailWV | @landonwallace pic.twitter.com/0CyjcpXxRT

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) May 13, 2023

West Virginia walked the bases loaded in the fourth. Sauve earned an RBI with a fielder’s choice (a play that scored two runs as Leonard raced around the basepaths), and Wetherholt hit a single that made it 11-0.

Barry hit a 396 foot opposite-field home run to lead off the fifth.

🍓🍓@barry_braden with the 💣 #HailWV pic.twitter.com/GG6WP73avw

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) May 13, 2023

Hussey pulled the first pitch he saw over the right field wall to extend the lead to 13-0.

🚌 🚌 @Grant_Hussey616 goes deep!#HailWV pic.twitter.com/NNQI7JYMi1

— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) May 13, 2023

The Action Lulls

The Red Raiders sent the Mountaineers down in order in the sixth, keeping them off the board for the first time. Texas Tech then got one back in the seventh inning on a leadoff home run from designated hitter Zac Vooletich.

Wallace and Barry traded places with two doubles in the bottom of the frame. Leonard got hit by a pitch, and Hussey hit his second home run of the day to go up 17-1.

Texas Tech scored another run in the eighth with a solo shot from third baseman Kevin Bazzell.

WVU moves to 38-13 on the season (14-6 Big 12). They play to take the series at 1pm Sunday.