Baseball: WVU Wins High-Scoring Affair
March 01, 2010 04:15 PM | General
March 1, 2010
BOX SCORE
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| Jedd Gyorko |
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The West Virginia University baseball team produced a season-high 19 base hits en route to a high-scoring 18-14 victory over Purdue on Monday afternoon at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fla.
Both teams combined for 37 hits, 32 runs scored and just four half-innings where neither team scored a run. WVU’s top-five batting order that included Jedd Gyorko (4-for-5), Dom Hayes (2-for-5), Grant Buckner (2-for-4), Matt Frazer (3-for-5) and Matt Malloy (2-for-6) combined for 13 hits in 25 at-bats with eight RBIs and 12 runs scored.
The Mountaineers (2-5) produced offensively by chipping away with 16 singles and three extra-base hits, with all three being provided by Gyorko. The preseason All-American recorded two doubles and an insurance solo home run in the eighth inning with three RBIs.
Gyorko’s run-scoring double to left center in the fifth inning also gave him is 200th career hit at WVU.
Frazer continued his productivity at the plate with three RBIs, while Kevin Griffin and Mark Dvoroznak added two apiece. WVU needed its offense all day after giving up five runs between the seventh and ninth innings following its 17-7 lead.
Closer Chris Enourato moved into a tie for fifth-place on the school’s all-time appearances list, entering the game with two outs in the ninth. WVU’s all-time career saves leader struck out Ryan Bridges to end the game, earning his 18th career save.
Jonathan Jones (1-1) got an unconventional victory after giving up seven runs in five innings pitched, while Jared Hill and Andy Altemus also made appearances. Purdue used four pitchers, with starter Drew Wurdack (0-1) taking the loss after allowing six runs on nine hits in three innings pitched.
Purdue finished with 18 hits, and was damaged tremendously by seven errors. The Boilermakers (0-4) drew 10 walks on the day.
WVU gave up more runs in the first inning, allowing two on four hits to the Boilermakers. Eric Charles put Purdue on the scoreboard with a liner to right field to score Tyler Spillner, who doubled and advanced to third base on an interference call. Brad Schreiber then singled through the left side to plate Charles, making it 2-0.
After Jones got his first two batters out on two pitches in the second inning, Spillner hit another double to left field, then scored on a two-out RBI single to right center from Jonathan Moore to extend the Boilermaker lead to 3-0.
The Mountaineers struck back with eight runs on seven hits in the third inning to take an 8-3 lead. Buckner’s sacrifice fly to right field started the scoring, followed by three consecutive run-scoring singles from Frazer, Malloy and Jeremy Gum. Dvoroznak then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, and Gyorko gave WVU its first extra base hit with an RBI double down the right field line.
WVU added two more runs in the fourth inning. Frazer garnered his second RBI of the day on a chopping single that went over the outstretched glove of Purdue first baseman Cameron Perkins, and designated hitter Griffin did his job in getting a runner home on a long sacrifice fly to centerfield to give the Mountaineers a 10-3 advantage.
Purdue chipped away with a run in the bottom half when Spillner hit a two-strike RBI single past a diving Colin Durborow at first base, putting runners on first and second base with one out. Jones then induced Jonathan Moore into a 5-3 double play from third to first base to get out of the inning.
Durborow and Dvoroznak each added two hits apiece for WVU.
Gyorko countered with a run-scoring double to left center in the fifth inning, giving WVU another seven-run margin at 11-4. The run was set up by a sacrifice bunt from Brady Wilson with two strikes. Purdue came back with a run of its own on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Kevin Plawecki, making it 11-5.
Durborow’s run-scoring single up the middle plated Malloy in the sixth, and Dvoroznak’s RBI groundout to third base brought in Griffin to create a 13-5 lead. Purdue threatened again in the bottom half with the bases loaded and no outs, but right-hander Hill entered the game and managed to get three consecutive outs while allowing just two runs, with none being earned.
WVU made a comeback effort by Purdue more difficult in the seventh with four more runs that were aided by three Purdue errors. The inning’s only RBI was recorded by Griffin, who had his second sacrifice fly of the game. However, Purdue stormed back with four runs that included a two-run triple to right center by Barrett Serrato.
Gyorko then took a 3-1 offering from Purdue’s Calvin Gunter and drove it over the left field wall for a leadoff home run in the eighth, his second of the season. Again, Purdue countered with a run of its own with an RBI groundout by Serrato, making it 18-12.
WVU returns to the field on Friday, March 5, against Western Carolina as part of the Keith LeClair Classic in Greenville, N.C. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
