WVU Baseball Survives Comeback at No. 13 Maryland, Wins 8-6

The West Virginia Mountaineers defeated No. 13 Maryland 8-6 on the road Tuesday. The Mountaineers batted around in the first inning, building a 5-0 lead and getting into the Terrapins bullpen after just two outs. Maryland never managed to mount a comeback from the early onslaught.

The first four West Virginia batters reached via a single, a pair of walks, and a Caleb McNeely double that made it 2-0. Designated hitter Logan Sauve doubled the lead with an RBI single, and leadoff hitter Braden Barry walked in a run with the bases loaded when his spot came up a second time.

Sauve added another RBI in the second inning, this one on a fielder’s choice after consecutive Mountaineers singles. First baseman Sam White led off the third with a home run to the right-center gap, but Maryland got a pair back in the bottom of the frame with an RBI double to make it 7-2.

West Virginia walked the bases loaded in the fifth, but couldn’t make anything of the two-out rally. 

Mountaineers’ starter Robby Porco ran into trouble later in the inning, allowing a pair of singles before inducing a groundout to end his day at five innings pitched, three punchouts and a pair of earned runs.

West Virginia shortstop Tevin Tucker led off the seventh with a home run to stretch the Mountaineers lead to six. The Terrapins managed to reel them back in after the seventh-inning stretch, however. Maryland began their half with a single and back to back home runs to cut the deficit to 8-5. Redshirt freshman righty David Hagaman entered and stranded a Terps’ runner on second via a groundout bookended by strikeouts.

Keegan Allen entered for the save in the ninth and punched out one batter. He allowed a double and an RBI single as Maryland tried to start a two-out rally, but induced a groundout to close the game.

West Virginia moves to 2-2 on the season. They’ll take the field in Tucson against the Arizona Wildcats this weekend, with the three game series beginning at 8pm eastern on Friday.