Baseball: WVU Drops Game One at Championship
May 20, 2008 10:05 PM | General
May 20, 2008
BOX SCORE
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The No. 7 seeded West Virginia baseball team fell to No. 2 seeded Cincinnati, 11-5, tonight in game one of the BIG EAST Baseball Championship at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla.
The Mountaineers (34-19, 13-14 BIG EAST) had five runs on nine hits and two errors while the Bearcats (37-19, 19-8 BIG EAST) had 11 runs on 10 hits and one error. It was the fourth consecutive loss to UC, as WVU closed the regular season on the road at Cincinnati, losing all three games.
Junior Joe Agreste went 2-of-4, had one run and two RBIs to lead the Mountaineer offense, while Vince Belnome went 2-of-3 and added one run on the day.
Senior pitcher Matt Yurish (6-2) took his second loss of the season, allowing seven runs on four hits, walking four and striking out one in one inning of work. UC’s Dan Osterbrock (9-2) earned his ninth win of the season, allowing five runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out seven, in 8.2 innings.
Cincinnati took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jamel Scott singled to second base, stole second and crossed home plate off Josh Harrison’s RBI single to right field. Mike Spina and Cameron Satterwhite were both walked to load the bases before Ryan Baker hit a two run RBI single over the head of Joe Agreste to take a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, UC’s Chris Peters singled to right field and advanced when Tony Campana walked. Scott then bunted and reached second on a throwing error by Yurish. Campana advanced to third and Peters crossed home plate for UC’s fourth run of the game. Harrison was walked to load the bases before Billy Gross took over for Yurish on the mound. Spina hit a three run RBI triple off the wall of straight-away-centerfield, giving the Bearcats a 7-0 lead.
Junior Justin Parks hit a solo home run, his fifth of the season, over the left field fence to put the Mountaineers on the board in the top of the third, 7-1.
In the top of the fourth, Gyorko hit a single down the right field line past the diving reach of UC’s third baseman, advanced to second when Belnome walked and both advanced on a fielder’s choice. Agreste then hit a two run RBI double to plate Gyroko and Belnome before Austin Markel hit an RBI double to plate Agreste, putting the score at 7-4.
Satterwhite hit a two run home run over the left field fence to plate Harrison who reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and advanced to third on Spina’s groundout, broadening UC’s lead, 9-4, in the bottom of the frame.
Markel reached on an error by UC’s shortstop and advanced to third when Dan DiBartolomeo hit a double down the left field line in the seventh inning. Parks then flew out to right field to plate Markel, cutting the Bearcats’ lead to four, 9-5.
In the bottom of the frame, Satterwhite scored on a wild pitch by relief pitcher Billy Gross before Tyler Goodro hit an RBI single to plate Baker, who reached on a fielder’s choice, creating the final 11-5 margin.
The Mountaineers will next play the loser of No. 6 USF versus No. 3 Notre Dame tomorrow, Wednesday, May 21, at 1 p.m. The game between the Bulls and the Irish is set for 10:15 p.m. start.
The BIG EAST Championship is an eight-team, double-elimination tournament, with the championship game scheduled for Saturday, May 24 at 1 p.m. The winner of the tournament receives the BIG EAST's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
WAJR-AM 1440 will cover tomorrow’s action. Fans outside of Morgantown can listen to the broadcast free on the internet through MSNsportsNET.com.
