West Virginia defeated Kansas 16-9 on Saturday, completing their sweep of the Jayhawks over the weekend.
The Mountaineers hit six home runs en route to victory, including four consecutive in the eighth inning. They scored a run in every single inning except the ninth, picking up 18 hits in total with Logan Sauve leading the way going 5-for-7 with, four RBIs and scoring three runs.
Kansas used 10 pitchers in the loss and picked up 17 hits of their own, but hit just one homer. They left 14 men on base and did not score in the last four innings.
For the third time in the series, West Virginia would score first. In the top of the first, Kansas starter Evan Shaw would struggle with command after retiring the first two batters. He walked back-to-back batters and allowed an RBI single to Kyle West, before walking the next batter and hitting the next two, allowing WVU to go up 3-0 early.
The Mountaineers would continue to tack on in the second with Shaw’s day over after one. With one out they got three-straight hits, scoring a run. In the bottom half of the inning, Kansas’ Ty Wisdom hit his first career homer to pull the Jayhawks within two, 4-2.
With Sauve driving in a run to make it 5-2 in the top of the third, the Jayhawks tied it up at five in the bottom half of the frame 5-5 ending WVU starter Tyler Switalski’s day. Lenny Ashby claimed an RBI on a ground out and Michael Brooks hit a double to score two more.
Reed Chumley hit his first of two home runs on the day, in the top of the fourth to give the Mountaineers the lead back. However, in the bottom of the fourth Kansas took it right back scoring two on a two-RBI single off the bat of Ashby.
Continuing their hot day at the plate, West Virginia pushed three across to score with Sam White and Sauve picking up RBI hits, while West hit a SAC Fly for an RBI in the top of the fifth pulling ahead 9-7. The Jayhawks got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, but the Mountaineers immediately nullified it with JJ Wetherholt hitting an RBI single in the top of the sixth.
Grant Hussey hit a solo shot in the seventh to give WVU a cushion making the game 11-9. In the eighth, the Mountaineer bats exploded, hitting four straight home runs starting with Sauve then, White, Chumley and ending with West. West Virginia led 16-9 heading into the bottom of the eighth, looking to successfully close out the game and series sweep, which they did.
WVU improves to 19-12 overall and 8-5 in conference play, while Kansas falls to 15-14 with a 7-8 record in Big 12 play. West Virginia faces Marshall in Huntington on Wednesday in their next game action.
