The West Virginia baseball team fell to Western Kentucky 4-3 on Sunday, to split another four-game series this season.
WVU starter Carson Estridge struggled, after coming into the game with a 3.00 ERA. He pitched 1.1 innings, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks; He struck out two.
Estridge would be replaced by David Hagaman, who pitched 3.2 innings, allowing no runs, just one hit and a walk, while striking out four. The other two Mountaineer relievers Joseph Fredericks and Gavin Van Kempen also did not allow a run.
In the game West Virginia picked up nine hits and walked four times, leaving eight men on base. They also committed one error.
Hilltoppers’ starter Duane Hall pitched five innings allowing two runs, one earned on five hits and three walks, picking up his second win of the season.
West Virginia would be the first on the board after a Kyle West homer in the top of the second. Then, Western Kentucky would take the lead in the bottom half of the frame after Austin Haller hit a two-RBI single with two runners in scoring position and then Dylan O’Connell hit a two-run home run to put the Hilltoppers up 4-1 after two.
In the top of the fourth, the Mountaineers would cut into the deficit with freshman from Morgantown Aaron Jamison picking up his first collegiate and an RBI to make the game 4-2.
In the top of the seventh, WVU had two runners in scoring position with one out. Skylar King grounded out to second allowing Jamison to score to make it a one-run game 4-3, while advancing Armani Guzman to third. Nothing else would come of it however as the Hilltoppers would leave the inning with minimal damage.
The Mountaineers kicked off the eighth inning with three straight singles. After West struck out, Brodie Kresser would make his return for West Virginia, coming in to pinch-hit for Jamison. However, Kresser would also strikeout to keep the bases loaded, making the second out of the inning. WVU would leave the bases loaded, with Nick Barone pinch-hitting for Guzman, flying out to right.
West Virginia was unable to generate an offensive spark late and ultimately fell to Western Kentucky 4-3.
The Mountaineers will host an opponent to be added on Tuesday at home in their next contest.
