WVU Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader With Jacksonville

WVU Baseball moved to 3-0 on the season on Saturday, sweeping their doubleheader with the Jacksonville Dolphins. After a blowout victory in game 1, they needed an all-around effort in order to squeak by the Dolphins in the nightcap.

The Mountaineers took control of game one with a second inning rally, batting around the order and plating six runs: Skylar King brought home two with a triple, while Brodie Kresser, Logan Sauve and Alex Marot each notched RBI singles.

Jacksonville did their best to respond in the bottom of the frame, leading off with a pair of walks charged to Robby Porco, but the big right-hander rebounded to retire the side and strand them.

The Dolphins drew blood in the fourth inning, however, with a leadoff homer and an unearned run that scored from first after two throwing errors, queuing an early exit for Porco after 3.2 innings pitched, 72 pitches and four strikeouts. Jacksonville then cut West Virginia’s lead to 6-3 with more small ball, leading off the fifth inning with a walk from center fielder Jaden Bastian, who beat the throw on a fielder’s choice to put two aboard.

A double steal allowed Bastian to swipe third, setting him up to trot home on an RBI single.

Jacksonville briefly made a game of it, but the Mountaineers put them to bed late, tacking on two runs apiece in the seventh and eighth innings with RBI singles galore.

WVU Baseball Secures the Doubleheader Sweep

The Mountaineers needed a strong performance from their bullpen in order to escape the second game with a win. The Dolphins jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when designated hitter Aidan Masters stung West Virginia righty Gavin Van Kempen for a solo homer.

Grant Hussey helped the Mountaineers’ offense wake up in the second inning with a groundout that scraped the tying run across, then Skylar King pounced on a hanging curveball for a two-run bomb that put West Virginia in front.

A leadoff walk came around to score for Jacksonville the following frame, aided by two wild pitches and putting the heat on for the Mountaineers’ bullpen. Reed Bassinger entered soon thereafter and pitched 2.2 innings for the save, striking out four batters and mowing through ten Dolphins on an economical 35 pitches.

WVU Baseball will try for the series sweep beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16.

Find more coverage of WVU baseball at WV Sports Now.