Two weeks ago, West Virginia traveled to Penn State and lost in ugly fashion, leaving a bad taste in the Mountaineers’ mouth.
“This was one we definitely had circled because we gave them the game at their place,” West Virginnia’s JJ Wetherholt said. “I hated that loss so much so I definitely wanted to get them this time and I think a lot of the guys felt that way. We had a little chip on our shoulder today, we just wanted to take it after them.”
Two weeks later, the Mountaineers returned the favor to the Nittany Lions, hitting two grand slams, while the offense combined for 13 hits and three home runs in their 14-2 win on Tuesday night.
“Obviously we kind of threw away the game last time,” Grant Hussey said. “Coming out here and whooping up on them like I said on Sunday, that was a big thing.”
In his first start since Apr. 14 against Oklahoma State, Wetherholt reminded everyone what they were missing. Wetherholt stepped to the plate and hit a grand slam in the third inning which put the Mountaineers in front 4-0.
“Nothing he does surprises us at this point,” West Virginia head coach Randy Mazey said.
Penn State grabbed one back in the top of the fourth off back-to-back hits, including an RBI double from Grant Norris to cut into WVU’s lead.
West Virginia’s offense would explode in the bottom of the fourth, led by Grant Hussey. He started the inning with a single before the bases were eventually loaded for Wetherholt again. This time Wehterholt hit a long sacrifice-fly to the warning track in left field, putting the Mountaineers ahead 5-1.
“I hit it well and that’s kind of my signature swing on this field, I hit a lot of homers that way,” Wetherholt said.
Wetherholt finished his night going 2-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored.
The Mountaineers added two more runs on a Caleb McNeely single, before Dayne Leonard got hit by a pitch and Ellis Garcia hit an infield single to score another run, putting the Mountaineers ahead 8-1.
The bases were then loaded for Hussey, who recorded his second hit of the inning, and hit a 415-foot grand slam to right field, which put West Virginia ahead 12-1. It would be Hussey’s second home run in as many games, and the Mountaineer bats were not done yet.
Wetherholt would triple in the sixth, before scoring on a Landon Wallace single, and Logan Suave hit his second home run of the year, which put West Virginia in front, 14-2.
“One in a game is good enough, you don’t see two too often,” Hussey said.
Freshman Carson Estridge got the start for the Mountaineers. Estridge went 3.2 innings while allowing one run on two hits, while striking out three. Estridge ran into trouble in the fourth, allowing a ball hit to left field, which Wallace leaped for and could not come up with. Wallace would relay it to home, getting the out, and that would end Estridge’s night.
Noah Short came in to finish the fourth inning, before West Virginia used four more pitchers to finish off the final five innings, while only allowing one runs on one hit, while striking out a combined seven batters. Gavin Van Kemper (3-0) would be credited with the win, throwing two innings, and giving up one run and one hit, while recording three strikeouts.
“I can’t sit here and say one of those three or four guys has stepped up and say, ‘okay I am that guy,'” Mazey said of his pitching staff. “We’ll continue to flip flop it and win games the way we are until somebody grabs the ball and says I can go the whole game on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s.”
Penn State starter Tommy Molsky (2-4) was able to only finish 3.0 innings before the troublesome fourth inning. The Nittany Lions used a total of six pitchers on Tuesday.
What This Means
The Mountaineers came into Tuesday night ranked in most national polls and ranked 23rd in the nation in RPI. Penn State on the other hand was one of West Virginia’s worst losses on their resume coming into tonight, as they came into this game ranked 115th in RPI. West Virginia now overcomes that loss in a big way and has now won seven of their last eight games.
“What an unbelievable atmosphere again,” Mazey said. “It’s just been electric the last couple of weeks and just hope it continues.”
What’s Next?
West Virginia now hits the road again for a three-game series against Baylor. Baylor is last in the Big 12 standings at 6-12 in Big 12 play, while the Mountaineers are first at 8-4. The Bears are 162nd in RPI, and have lost three of their last four, including losing the series to Texas Tech and losing to Tarleton 6-2 on Tuesday. Game one will be at 7:30 p.m. from Waco on Friday.
“They’re very capable of beating us if we go down and think we’re world beaters,” Mazey said.
Photo by Aaron Parker, Blue Gold Sports
