After a back-and-forth start, West Virginia turned the offense on late, scoring eight runs in their last two trips to the plate as they beat Baylor 13-4, earning their third Big 12 series sweep of the season.
Aidan Major got the Sunday start for West Virginia (26-16, 14-7 Big 12) and he did not have his sharpest stuff but battled to keep WVU in the game. Major tossed a scoreless first, before Cole Posey tagged Major for a two-run home run in the second.
WVU answered back right away, with Kyle West reaching on a hit-by-pitch on an 0-2 count, before Grant Hussey hit his ninth home run of the season as WVU tied the game 2-2 and Hussey moved one home run away from tying the all-time WVU record for home runs.
Baylor would get to Major (4-2) again, as Posey homered again in the fourth, and an error and then scored on a groundout as the Bears led 4-2.
Major would be taken out with two outs in the sixth, tossing 5.2 innings, and giving up four runs on four hits, walking one and strikeout out five. As Major grinded his way into the sixth inning, WVU’s offense would get him some much needed run support in the fifth.
The inning started with two walks, when Kyle West came inches away from hitting his third home run of the series as he doubled to score one. Hussey would be hit by a pitch, before Brodie Kresser was also hit with a pitch, tying the game at 4-4. Ben Lumsden then got one home as he grounded into a double play, as West Virginia led 5-4 and they would never look back.
In the 7th, WVU added five runs to their tally, as the bases were loaded for Lumsden again. This time he took advantage of the opportunity, singling to score one. Skyler King followed and he too was hit by a pitch to score a run. JJ Wetherholt then walked to score another, before two more scored on a fielders choice and an error as Baylor attempted to turn a double play.
In the eighth, WVU Lumsden doubled to score Hussey, and then King doubled to score two more.
Lumsden finished the afternoon going 2-for-4, with two RBIs and a walk. King went 2-for-4 as well, with three RBIs.
After Major on the mound, came Gavin VanKempen who pitched 1.1 innings, giving up two hits, but not allowing a run. The next two pitchers followed the same pattern of not allowing any runs as Maxx Yehl and Hambleton Oliver each pitched a scoreless inning.
WVU had 12 hits, and walked 11 times in the game, while they hit .364 with runners on base, and .357 with runners in scoring position.
WVU earned their third Big 12 series sweep of the season, and WVU is now 11-4 in their last 15 games.
