West Virginia used more late-game magic on Friday, as a JJ Wetherholt double plated Tre Keels, giving the Mountaineers a 5-4 victory in game one over Xavier, and their second walk-off win in as many games.
Wetherholt provided three of West Virginia’s (17-5) nine hits, while the Mountaineers scored two runs over the final three innings at Monongalia County Ballpark.
In the second inning, West Virginia scored first. Sam White walked, before eventually scoring on a single from Kevin Dowdell, putting the Mountaineers in front 1-0. Xavier responded right away with a home run from Jared Cushing to lead off the third inning, tying the game at 1-1.
Landon Wallace gave WVU the lead back in the fourth inning, hitting a two-run home run, his second of the year, and put West Virginia back in front, 3-1. The Nevada transfer picked up his 10th and 11th RBI’s of the season, finishing the day going 2-for-3 at the plate.
In the sixth inning, Xavier’s offense would get to West Virginia starting pitcher Ben Hampton. Hampton walked the first batter he faced in the inning, before Matt McCormick hit a two-run home run, tying the game at 3-3.
Hampton would finish the day throwing 7.0 innings and picking up the no decision. The left-hander struck out seven, while giving up three runs on six hits.
In the seventh, the Mountaineers would take the lead back from the Musketeers. Dowdell doubled, before a bunt single from Tevin Tucker put Dowdell on third. Dowdell then scored as Braden Barry put a bunt down the first base line, executing the safety squeeze, and giving WVU a 4-3 lead.
Xavier would respond, but they did so off of WVU’s miscues. Carlson Reed came on in relief of Hampton, and would get a quick out to start the eighth. Reed (2-0) then put two base runners on in a row, with the first reaching on a single which Reed got his glove on, and the second on an error from Reed where he bobbled a ground ball back to him.
Xavier made Reed pay, with McCormick hitting an opposite-field single to left, tying the game at 4-4.
Xavier looked to be in prime position to take the lead with the bases loaded and one out, but Wetherholt was able to turn an unassisted 4-3 double play, aided by a scoop from Grant Hussey at first base.
The Mountaineers then reached on an Ellis Garcia single in the ninth. Keels pinch ran for Garcia, reaching second on a wild pitch. Tevin Tucker worked a nine-pitch walk to give Wetherholt an opportunity to win the game.
Wetherholt did just that, hitting a double to left-center field, giving WVU the win.
West Virginia will play game two of the three-game series against Xavier tomorrow on Saturday at 4 p.m.
