Baseball: WVU Triumphs in Season Opener
February 16, 2007 08:24 PM | General
February 16, 2007
BOX SCORE
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| Kenny Durst |
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The West Virginia University baseball team opened its 2007 season with a 5-1 win over Cleveland State this afternoon at Ernie Shore Field.
West Virginia (1-0) was strong despite the cold weather with solid pitching from junior Kenny Durst and redshirt freshman Billy Gross.
Both teams went scoreless until the seventh inning. Cleveland State (0-1) scored the first run as Theo Hudson singled to left to record an RBI.
The Mountaineers answered big in the bottom of the seventh. Austin Markel had an RBI single and Tyler Kuhn stepped up to the plate to bat in two more runners with a single to make it 3-1, Mountaineers.
Gross was able to shut down the Vikings in the eighth and ninth innings, allowing only one hit, to record the win.
Freshman third baseman Vince Belnome had a fantastic debut as he recorded two runs in his first appearance as a Mountaineer. Austin Markel and Justin Parks had four of WVU’s seven hits for the day.
Durst took to the mound for 6.2 innings while facing 27 batters. Stephen Procner pitched 6.0 innings for the Vikings and allowed four runs.
“I am very happy that we got an opening game win,” said coach Greg Van Zant. “A lot of time getting the win in the first game is the hardest. Our hitters were patient and didn’t panic. Durst and Gross pitched well their first time on the mound in the cold.”
The first victory of the season also marks Van Zant’s 350th career win.
The Mountaineers will meet the Vikings for game two of the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
