The high-seeded Mountaineers took care of business in Tucson, Ariz. Saturday night to become the only undefeated team in their Regional.
After defeating Dallas Baptist 4-1 on Friday, West Virginia earned a region quarterfinal matchup against Grand Canyon, who upset host Arizona that evening. In the three-and-four-seed matchup, WVU came out victorious, 5-2.
Both the Mountaineers and the Antelopes scored in the second inning to tie the game at one run each, but neither would score in more than one more inning for the rest of the game. For WVU, that was a four-run fourth inning, while GCU only scored one more run in the ninth.
As the visitor, GCU scored first, via a sacrifice fly from redshirt senior Eddy Pelc that would bring in junior Beau Ankeney. Ankeney got on base after Wetherholt chose to throw Eli Paton out at second, and he advanced two bases on the single by Elijah Buries that followed before scoring on Pelc’s RBI.
Third baseman Reed Chumley returned the favor for West Virginia, singling through the right side then stealing second, advancing to third on Grant Hussey’s groundout to second, and scoring with Kresser’s single over second base.
Kresser attempted to follow in Chumley’s footsteps, stealing second himself, but Ben Lumsden struck out to end WVU’s scoring. In the Mountaineers’ big fourth inning, though, Lumsden got another opportunity to contribute.
After freshman pitcher Connor Mattison walked sophomore outfielder Sam White, hit Chumley with a pitch on a full count, and walked Michael Perazza, Brodie Kresser brought in White and Chumley with a single through the left side.
Now up 3-1 and still with runners on first and second, WVU looked to capitalize on its momentum, and it did. Lumsden singled to bring Perazza in and advance Kresser to third, and he sacrificed himself the next play on Skylar King’s hit to third while Kresser scored.
Star shortstop JJ Wetherholt popped up to Buries at second, ending the run, and all WVU scoring, up 5-1, but no more was needed. Grand Canyon scored the game’s final run in the top of the ninth, as senior Dustin Crenshaw pinch hit to get one through right center and allow centerfielder Cade Verdusco to score.
WVU tallied six hits for five runs, all of which were assisted. The Mountaineers saw five GCU pitchers, freshman starter Hunter Watkins, freshman Connor Mattison, who pitched the loss in the third and fourth innings, redshirt senior Shawn Triplett, senior lefty Brian Webb, and senior Carter Young. GCU’s pitchers combined for eight strikeouts and three walks, and no one pitcher recorded more than two of either.
Junior Tyler Switalski earned the win at the mound for WVU after pitching seven innings and two outs in the eighth. He allowed six hits, a walk, and a run, and he struck out three batters.
Graduate student Hambleton Oliver entered in the eighth as the Mountaineers’ typical closer but was replaced by sophomore Carson Estridge for the game’s final out. Oliver pitched four hits, a run, and a strikeout in one full inning.
Without much flashiness offensively, West Virginia’s highlights came primarily from the field on Saturday. JJ Wetherholt proved his athleticism with a pair of jumping catches and the game-saving stop, which saw him run behind second to field Marcus Galvan’s grounder.
Perhaps the most exciting play came in the top of the seventh inning, as first baseman Grant Hussey caught his second foul ball to the dugout in Tucson. Unlike Friday’s leaning catch over the wall, though, Hussey fell into the dugout for the catch and West Virginia’s third out.
With the second win, West Virginia is all set for what may be its final game in Tucson at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday. With host Arizona out after a 7-0 loss to Dallas Baptist, the Mountaineers will rematch one of its former opponents. If they fall, they will have another chance the following Monday to secure the region victory.
