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The Mountaineers fell short to Illinois on Saturday, losing 6-2 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Mountaineers have started the season off strong with an impressive 7-2 record heading into Saturday’s matchup against 2-5 Illinois. On Friday, the Mountaineers opened the Cambria College Classic with a win against Minnesota but could not keep the bats alive for their second game of the weekend.
Sophomore Ben Hampton started on the mound for the Mountaineers, keeping Illinois scoreless for the first inning of the game. Hampton went three up, three down in the first, third, and fifth innings.
Austin Davis walked to start the first inning for WVU, then stole second and third, but was left on base as a result of three Mountaineer strike outs.
Illinois’ bats came alive in the second inning, with a two-run homerun given up by Hampton on a two-out rally from the Fighting Illini. The Mountaineers were unable to respond at the plate with two ground outs and a strike out.
Both the Mountaineers and the Fighting Illini struggled for runs in the third through sixth innings. DH McGwire Holbrook singled to right field in the bottom of the fourth, earning the first hit for the Mountaineers, but was thrown out in a double play to end the inning.
Freshman Michael Kilker came to the mound to replace Hampton in the top of the seventh, striking out his first batter. A batter hit by a pitch and a throwing error from the Mountaineers put a runner in scoring position for Illinois, scoring on a hit down the third base line and bringing Illinois up 3-0.
As the Mountaineers were held scoreless, Illinois was not finished with their bats heading into the final two innings of the game. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Strechay was brought in to pitch in an attempt to clean up the Mountaineer defense but gave up three hits and two runs in the top of the eighth. WVU could not respond at the plate.
One last pitching change for the Mountaineers took place at the top of the ninth with Freshman Aidan Major taking the mound for Strechay. The right-hander had two strike outs but gave up a single to center field and an RBI single to right field. Illinois went up 6-0.
Just as the Mountaineers looked as though they were going to be held scoreless for the first time this season, they had a small rally at the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Junior Victor Scott led the efforts with a single up the middle, followed by a single to left field from Holbrook. Sophomore Nathan Blasick then walked, loading the bases for the Mountaineers.
Redshirt Junior Dayne Leonard got on base through a fielding error by Illinois, advancing Scott and Holbrook home giving WVU two unearned runs. Despite their efforts, the inning ending on a double play, with a final score of 2-6 for the Mountaineers.
WVU’s Hampton earned the loss for the Mountaineers, marking his first loss of the season.
WVU takes the field again on Sunday at 11 a.m. against Michigan State for Day 3 of the Cambria Classic.
Photo by Wesley Shoemaker, Blue Gold Sports
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