Baseball: Mountaineers Stun Seahawks
February 25, 2007 03:14 PM | General
February 25, 2007
BOX SCORE
CONWAY, S.C. – The WVU baseball team stunned UNC Wilmington 7-6 on Sunday afternoon, at Charles Watson Stadium in Conway, S.C.
With the impending threat of rain, the Seahawks (5-6) quickly got on the board in the top of the second. Justin Barefoot registered a single to third base to score Jonathan Batts, who led off the inning with a walk. Michael Rooney singled in two runs to left and advanced to second on an error by left fielder Justin Jenkins. Rooney’s hit put the Seahawks up 3-0.
The Mountaineers (3-2) retaliated with a big, seven-run fifth. With the bases loaded, shortstop Tyler Kuhn singled in Justin Parks and Jason Pape; Parks reached on a walk while Pape advanced on a single to the right side line.
Next up, left fielder Justin Jenkins singled to center to score White, who had reached on a bunt. Jordon Yost singled to third base with another bunt to plate White. The first baseman then stole second with Vince Belnome at bat.
Jenkins scored on a passed ball with Mike Schmidt at bat, pinch hitting for Brent Lockhart. Schmidt doubled to right field to score Belnome and Yost and give West Virginia a 7-3 lead.
UNC Wilmington attempted to close the gap in the top of the eighth. Steve Halford doubled to right field to register two RBI as he scored Jes Snyder and Grayson Evans. Matt Holt, pinch hitting for Nate Hall, homered in the top of the ninth.
Levi Maxwell (2-0) recorded the win after allowing only five hits and striking out six batters in seven innings of work. Junior lefthander Eric Saffell entered in the eighth inning to relieve Maxwell. In one inning, Saffell struck out two hitters but permitted three hits while facing seven batters. Right-hander Chris Enourato stepped in the top of the ninth to record his first career save.
Seahawk starter Daniel Cropper recorded the loss (1-1) allowing eight hits and six runs while facing 23 batters in 4.2 innings.
White went 3-4 to lead the Mountaineers while Kuhn and Schmidt both recorded doubles.
West Virginia’s seven runs is the team’s largest number of runs scored so far this season. WVU’s 11 hits this afternoon ties the team’s season high, previously set against Cleveland State on Saturday, Feb. 17.
The Mountaineers will stop in Norfolk, Va., to take on Norfolk State on Monday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m. before returning to Morgantown.
