Facing Georgia Southern — a team who hosted a regional in 2022 — West Virginia was going to face a tough test on the road to open their 2023 campaign. Outside of a six-batter stretch in the seventh inning, the Mountaineers seemingly passed every test with flying colors. But despite stealing home and their starting pitcher giving up one hit and pitching into the seventh inning, West Virginia found themselves on the wrong side of things in their 4-3 loss to Georgia Southern in their season opener on Friday.
West Virginia junior starting pitcher Ben Hampton exited after walking the leadoff hitter in the seventh inning. Hampton nibbled around the strike zone on the final two pitches, turning the game over to sophomore Aidan Major with a 3-1 lead. That lead would not last long for the Mountaineers as Major (0-1) walked two of the first three batters he faced, before giving up an RBI bunt single.
Then the biggest blow of the evening would be given from the Eagles’ Noah Ledford. Ledford who occupies the three-spot in the Georgia Southern lineup dribbled a groundball between the third baseman and shortstop with the bases loaded, scoring two runs, and giving Georgia Southern the 4-3 lead.
Hampton was just what head coach Randy Mazey needed out of his ace. Hampton finished the game, pitching 6.0 innings, giving up two runs, on one hit, while striking out eight and walking four.
Hampton’s lone hit against him came in the sixth inning. Facing the top of the Georgia Southern lineup, Hampton walked the first batter he faced, before giving up a single to Sam Blancato. Facing Ledford and the heart of the Eagles order, Hampton would record three strikeouts, all swinging to get out of the jam.
West Virginia’s offense would get going in the fourth inning. Trailing 1-0 after a pair of throwing errors from Tevin Tucker and Dayne Leonard in the second inning, the Mountaineers turned to Nevada transfer Landon Wallace to be a sparkplug.
Wallace, the junior outfielder got the start in left field for Mazey’s ballclub. Caleb McNeely singled to start the inning, but then would be called out attempting to steal second base after there was batter’s interference ruled on an Ellis Garcia strikeout. Seemingly taking WVU’s chances away, Wallace responded with a triple to score Evan Smith who was hit by a pitch.
Wallace would then break for home and convert a straight steal of home to give West Virginia their first lead at 2-1. The Mountaineers chased Georgia Southern starter Ty Fisher following the fourth. Fisher finished the night with two runs allowed, to go along with six strikeouts.
West Virginia added another run in the fifth, as JJ Wetherholt scored on a Grant Hussey sacrifice-fly, putting WVU in front 3-1.
The Mountaineers would threaten once more in the ninth inning. Georgia Southern turned to Jaylen Paden to try and record the save. The Mountaineers made Paden throw 29 pitches in the ninth inning and would get two runners on base with one out. Paden would retire Grant Hussey on a swinging strikeout, before getting McNeely to hit a weak pop out to end the game.
Mitchell Gross (1-0) would be credited with the win for the Eagles. Gross bridged the gap for the Georgia Southern bullpen, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing one hit, and striking out three.
Swinging and Missing
The swing and miss potential for WVU’s lineup was seen on Friday. The Mountaineers struck out 12 times, while finishing with eight hits. Braden Barry and Grant Hussey — both of whom hit at the top of WVU’s lineup — each had three strikeouts. Dayne Leonard — WVU’s three-hitter — was called out on strikes twice. Wetherholt, Wallace, and Leonard each had a pair of hits for the Mountaineers in the loss. The Mountaineers were hit with a total of five pitches from the Georgia Southern rotation on Friday as well.
Walks and Errors Kill
The West Virginia pitching staff allowed only four hits and tallied 10 strikeouts. They would also give up six walks and hit another batter. Georgia Southern’s first run of the game came off a throwing error from Tevin Tucker over Hussey’s head at first. Then with the bases loaded, Leonard fired a back-pick to third, but the ball would go into left field, allowing the first run of the game to score. Out of Georgia Southern’s other three runs, all of them got on base via the walk.
Photo from WVU Baseball
