Baseball: WVU Ready for Home Opener
March 06, 2009 12:42 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
March 6, 2009
GAME NOTES
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University baseball team opens its home season with two doubleheaders on Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, at Hawley Field against nonconference opponent New Jersey Tech. First pitch for both days is at noon.
“We got out there and practiced yesterday, and really enjoy playing at home - especially in the early portion of the season,” Coach Greg Van Zant said. “It will be good for our players to get out and play at Hawley Field after spending so much time indoors through the winter season.”
The Mountaineers (3-3) last played at the Baseball at the Beach Tournament this past Friday in Myrtle Beach, S.C. WVU picked up a quality win over Southeastern Conference opponent Tennessee, 11-6, and followed with loss to No. 18 Coastal Carolina, 15-5.
Through six games, right fielder Grant Buckner leads WVU with a .458 batting average (11-for-24). The Elkview, W.Va., native has also produced seven RBIs, four doubles and seven runs scored, and joins junior Vince Belnome as the only Mountaineers who have garnered a hit in all six games played this season.
Sophomore Jedd Gyorko follows with a .444 mark (12-for-27) at the plate. The reigning BIG EAST Rookie of the Year has registered an extra base hit in five games this season, and has tallied one home run and five doubles through the early going.
The Mountaineers have produced a .351 team batting average against four Big Ten opponents as well as an SEC and Big South team. They will look to continue last season’s trend of hitting well at home, where they went 26-6 overall in 2008.
Reliever Chris Enourato has earned a win and a save in two appearances this season. The right-handed junior from Bridgeport, W.Va., struck out seven in WVU’s 14-4 victory over Indiana, and earned the win against Tennessee after giving up one run on five hits in 4.1 innings pitched.
New Jersey Tech (0-0) returns six letterwinners from 2008, led by utility player and senior P.J. Saporito. The Highlanders’ trip to Morgantown will be their 2009 season-opening series.
The Mountaineers begin a 10-game stretch at Hawley Field, with six games ensuing next week against Canisius, Duquesne and Siena.
This weekend’s series will be the first time both schools have met. Game one of Saturday’s doubleheader is also deemed “poster day,” with all fans in attendance receiving a free team poster.
