Baseball: Mountaineers Pluck Peacocks
March 11, 2006 08:13 PM | General
March 11, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University baseball team took both games of a doubleheader with St. Peter’s College, Saturday, March 11, at Hawley Field.
WVU blasted the Peacocks (1-10) for 11 runs in the fifth inning of game one to win 18-0, and posted a 7-3 win in game two.
The Mountaineers (11-3) are off to their best start since 1971 when former baseball coach Dale Ramsburg’s club opened the season 13-2.
In game one, WVU led 5-0 after four innings before putting the game out of reach in the fifth with 11 runs as the St. Peter’s pitching staff walked four Mountaineer batters in a row at one point and five total in the inning.
Justin Jenkins led the Mountaineers at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a double, home run and three RBI. WVU also received home runs from left fielder Casey Bowling and catcher Justin Parks. Bowling had four RBI and was one of 11 different WVU hitters that recorded an RBI.
Starting pitcher Marty Fagler (1-1) pitched six shutout innings, allowing five hits with three walks, while striking out six to earn the win, his first of the season.
WVU had 11 hits while holding the Peacocks to five hits in the seven-inning game. WVU is now 10-2 this season when out-hitting their opponents.
Game two saw the Mountaineers break a 1-1 tie by scoring four runs in the fourth inning to pull out the nightcap. The inning was highlighted by a Doug Nelms two-RBI double to left center field with the bases loaded. Nelms went 1 for 3 with a double and three RBI.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Matt Yurish (1-1) got the start in game two and picked up his first win on the year. Yurish scattered three hits with two earned runs while striking out eight batters in six innings on the mound.
Bowling was back at work again in game two to lead the WVU offensively. The Chapmanville, W.Va., native went 3 for 4 with two RBI.
WVU had eight different players with a stolen base and finished one shy of the Hawley Field record of nine, set by Pitt in 1996.
The Mountaineers have won all three games of the series, with the fourth and final game starting at 1 p.m., Sunday. Junior left-hander Brendan Bergerson (0-0) will get his first start on the mound this season for the Mountaineers.
