West Virginia baseball faces Ball State in an elimination game after both teams lost on Friday.
The Mountaineers lost 12-6 to Indiana, while Ball State lost to Kentucky 4-0.
West Virginia is switching up their lineup in a big way, moving Tevin Tucker to the nine slot, moving JJ Wetherholt up to the leadoff spot, and moving Logan Suave to the second slot in the lineup. The Mountaineers are also giving the ball to their ace Ben Hampton.
West Virginia’s offense will look to try and get something going, having been scuffling at the plate during their six-game losing streak.
Ball State pitcher Ty Johnson is 4-2 on the year, with a 3.81 ERA in 49.2 innings pitched. He has 63 strikeouts, and has walked 29 batters this year.
West Virginia will be the away team, while Ball State is considered the home team.
West Virginia Lineup:
JJ Wetherholt- 2B
Logan Suave- DH
Landon Wallace- LF
Caleb McNeely- RF
Grant Hussey- 1B
Braden Barry- CF
Dayne Leonard- C
Ellis Garcia- 3B
Tevin Tucker- SS
Ben Hampton- SP
Ball State Lineup:
Ryan Peltier- 3B
Decker Scheffler- RF
Adam Tellier- SS
Hunter Dobbins- C
Jalen Martinez- LF
Blake Bevis- 1B
Matthew Rivera- DH
Nick Gregory- CF
Justin Conant- 2B
Ty Johnson- P
First Inning
WVU: The Mountaineers use a leadoff single from Wetherholt, but he is thrown out trying to steal second. Suave strikes out looking on a borderline pitch, before Wallace grounds out to end the inning.
BSU: Ball State goes in order in the first, as Hampton makes a good play to cover a bunt to end the inning.
End 1: WVU 0, BSU 0
Second Inning
WVU: Hussey walks, before he is out as Barry reaches on a fielder’s choice. Barry gets to second on a throwing error on a pickoff, but is stranded there.
BSU: An error from Garcia comes back to bite WVU as a single from Gregory plates the first run.
End 2: BSU 1, WVU 0
Third Inning
WVU: WVU gets the offense going in the third, after Garcia singles, and Tucker reaches on an error. Wetherholt then hits a three-run home run to put WVU on the board. McNeely would reach third after a 12-pitch walk, and then stealing second and third, but would be stranded there.
BSU: After getting two quick outs, Hampton runs into trouble. Hampton gives up six hits in a row, as Ball State takes a 5-3 lead. Tellier doubled, Dobbins singled, Martinez singled, Bevins singled, and CJ Horn singled, and Gregory singled.
End 3: BSU 5, WVU 3
Fourth Inning
WVU: West Virginia needed a response and got one. Leonard homered, before Garcia doubled, and Tucker reached on a bunt single. Wetherholt grounded out to first, and a good hustle from Tucker was able to help him be safe at second. Suave then added on a two-run home run to right field giving WVU a 7-5 lead.
BSU: Aidan Major comes in for WVU and an impressive catch from Barry in center is able to keep WVU’s lead intact.
End 4: WVU 7, BSU 5
Fifth Inning
WVU: McNeely starts the inning with a bloop double, but three strikeouts from Hussey, Barry, and Leonard end the threat. BSU: Aidan Major goes 1-2-3, getting three strikeouts to end the fifth inning.
End 5: WVU 7, BSU 5
Sixth Inning
WVU: West Virginia uses a walk from Tucker, before Wetherholt grounds into a fielder’s choice, and Suave strikes out.
BSU: Aidan Major has been great for WVU out of the bullpen, allowing only one hit through three innings. Major adds a strikeout in the sixth, and has thrown 39 pitches across three innings of work.
End 6: WVU 7, BSU 5
Seventh Inning
WVU: Hussey hits VWU’s fourth home run of the day with a solo homer to right, and the Mountaineers extend their lead to 8-5. The top half of the inning ends as Barry is caught stealing.
BSU: Major continues to deal out of the bullpen, as he gets a pair of groundouts and a strikeout to end the seventh.
End 7: WVU 8, BSU 5
Eighth Inning
WVU: West Virginia gets two on with a walk of Tucker and single from Wetherholt, but that’s all the damage they are able to put together.
BSU: Major gets two more strikeouts, setting a season-high eight strikeouts for the sophomore.
End 8: WVU 8, BSU 5
Ninth Inning
WVU: It was a five-run ninth for the Mountaineers, who use a Leonard single, Tucker double, and Suave single to open up a 13-5 lead.
BSU: Noah Short goes 1-2-3 to end the game.
FINAL: West Virginia 13, Ball State 5
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