Baseball: WVU Loses to Kentucky
February 20, 2010 02:42 PM | General
February 20, 2010
BOX SCORE
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| Andy Berry |
CONWAY, S.C. – The West Virginia University baseball team lost to Kentucky, 6-0, on Saturday afternoon at the Caravelle Resort Tournament in Conway, S.C.
The Mountaineers (0-2) fell victim to Kentucky freshman Taylor Rogers’ college debut, as the left-hander tossed 7.2 scoreless innings to get the win. West Virginia produced eight base hits but did not put enough runners in scoring position, often swinging early in the count and on many first pitches.
For the second straight contest, WVU’s bullpen put forth another solid outing. Junior right-hander Andy Berry made his debut by giving up just one run on five hits in 4.2 innings pitched. The Virginia Beach native consistently threw strikes and impeded any momentum that the Wildcats (2-0) might have gained early in the game.
Freshman T.J. Kuban led the Mountaineers with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate. The Valencia, Pa., resident was also solid in the field at first base, recording two assists and cleanly fielding hard-hit balls that traveled his way.
Kentucky scored the game’s first run in the top of the second when second baseman Chris Bisson scored Keenan Wiley from third base on a fielder’s choice. Kuban made a diving stop on the play and threw Neiko Johnson out at second base, and WVU starter Jonathan Jones prevented any further damage by inducing Braden Kapeteyn into a flyout to right field to end the inning.
The Wildcats scored another run in the third inning to make it 2-0. Wiley hit a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Andy Burns, who got on base after being hit by a pitch. Jones came back to strike out Taylor Black on a full count to end the frame.
Two more runs were tacked on in the fourth inning by the Wildcats. Johnson led off the inning with a bunt single, and later scored on a triple to right center by Chad Wright. Following Jones’ departure, Berry induced Kapeteyn into an RBI groundout, giving Kentucky a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom half, Jedd Gyorko singled up the middle to break up Rogers’ no-hit bid. The base hit also extended Gyorko’s hitting streak to 16 games dating back to last season.
WVU loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth against reliever Jordan Cooper, but WVU pinch-hitter Justin McDavid flied out to right field to end the game.
Jones took the loss after giving up four runs in 3.1 innings pitched while striking out two.
WVU will play its final game at the Caravelle Resort Tournament against former conference rival Virginia Tech on Sunday afternoon at 11 a.m. The meeting is just the second time both schools have played on the diamond since Virginia Tech joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2004-05 season.
