Baseball: WVU Sweeps Bucknell
February 19, 2006 06:24 PM | General
February 19, 2006
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| Stan Posluszny |
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The West Virginia University baseball team defeated Bucknell 8-1 to take game two of a doubleheader Sunday, Feb. 19, at Ernie Shore Field in Winston-Salem, N.C., and sweep the series.
The Mountaineers move to 3-0 for the first time since 1969. WVU’s last series sweep came last May over Seton Hall in Morgantown.
“It is very difficult to beat the same team three times in a row, but if you can get these sweeps, they add up nicely over the course of the season,” Coach Greg Van Zant said. “Bucknell is going to have a nice team this year.”
Senior Stan Posluszny picked back up where he left off last season at the plate. The Aliquippa, Pa., native got the Mountaineers up 3-0 early during his first at bat, hammering a 1-2 fastball over the leftfield fence for a three-run home run. Posluszny finished the game 2 for 4 with four RBI.
Up 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth, WVU third baseman Justin Jenkins slapped an RBI single to right center field to score Adam White and move Doug Nelms to third.
Posluszny followed with an RBI single through the right side before the Mountaineers loaded the bases for Casey Bowling. Bowling drove in two runners with a single to left field to give the Mountaineers a comfortable 7-1 lead. Jenkins finished 3 for 4 with an RBI while Bowling went 1 for 4 with two RBI to lead the Mountaineers.
Starter Matt Yurish pitched four strong innings, allowing just two hits, one earned run, and recording three strikeouts.
“I thought Matt Yurish did a great job getting us into the fifth inning and then Dan Leatherman came in and was real sharp,” Van Zant said. “He was able to finish the game for us because his pitch count was so low.”
Leatherman, a right-handed pitcher, completely shut the Bison down. Leatherman allowed no hits, runs, or walks. Leatherman also fanned five of the 14 batters he faced en route to earning his first win of the year. Yurish and Leatherman combined to hold the Bison to two hits.
The Mountaineers return to action this weekend in Greenville, N.C., at the Keith LeClair Tournament, hosted by East Carolina. WVU will face N.C. State on Friday, Feb. 24, at 1:30 p.m.
