Baseball: WVU Drops Game One Against Akron
February 22, 2008 07:06 PM | General
February 22, 2008
BOX SCORE
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.-Senior Tyler Kuhn scored the lone run for the West Virginia (0-1) baseball team in a 5-1 loss to Akron (1-0) in game one of the four-game series today at Ernie Shore Field in Winston-Salem, N.C. The game was the 2008 season opener for both squads.
The Zips got on the board first in the top of the third inning when Jake Plata doubled to center field, with the bases loaded, to put Akron up 3-0. Akron hit back-to-back singles when Kevin Hass first singled to right field before Kurt Davidson hit a single through the left side. Doug McNulty then was walked before Plata came up to the plate.
The Zips scored again in the top of the fourth inning when Akron’s Phil Bednar scored a run off of Hass’s sacrifice fly out to WVU’s Austin Markel. The RBI gave the Zips a 4-0 lead.
After two scoreless innings, Akron’s Brett Savage scored off of a sacrifice bunt by Plata in the top of the seventh inning, putting the Zips ahead, 5-0.
The Mountaineers countered in the bottom of the eighth inning when Kuhn crossed the plate to put WVU on the board with a score of 5-1 that created the final margin. Kuhn hit a single and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice before freshman Jedd Gyorko singled, advancing Kuhn to third. Sophomore Vince Belnome hit a sacrifice fly out to left field, recording an unearned RBI that allowed Kuhn to cross the plate.
Matt Yurish recorded the loss for the Mountaineers and pitched 3.1 innings. The senior struck out three hitters and allowed four runs. Akron pitcher Frank Turocy earned the win allowing just four hits and one run in eight innings pitched.
Redshirt senior Eric Saffell relieved Yurish and pitched 5.2 innings, allowing just one run in 21 batters faced.
“(Akron’s) Frank Turocy pitched a terrific game and he deserves all the credit,” comments Head Coach Greg Van Zant. “Akron is a good ball club and the pitching we saw today will be the kind of arm we will see in the BIG EAST. As the season moves along, we will be able to score more runs off of pitchers like that.”
The Mountaineers and Zips will play games two and three in a doubleheader tomorrow at Ernie Shore Field. First pitch is at noon.
