Baseball: WVU Splits with EMU
March 20, 2010 08:36 PM | General
March 20, 2010
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| Andy Berry | Colin Durborow |
GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University baseball team split its doubleheader against Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon at Hawley Field.
The Mountaineers (9-10) won its first game, 5-3, over the Eagles (6-12). In game two, WVU fell by a score of 23-0, ending its season-high five-game winning streak.
In game one, it was Colin Durborow’s bat and Andy Berry’s solid pitching that gave WVU the victory. Durborow, a Gibsonia, Pa., native, went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored. In the fifth inning, he hit his third home run of the season, as well as his third this week, over the left center wall to give the Mountaineers a comfortable 5-0 lead.
In the third inning of game one, Durborow drove in WVU’s third run on a single to right field, making it 3-0. His other at-bat occurred in the second when he lay down a sacrifice bunt to move designated hitter Jeremy Gum to second base.
Junior Dom Hayes also had a multi-hit performance in game one, his 12th of the year as well as his eighth two-hit game. The Freehold, N.J. native recorded a long double to centerfield in the first inning and a single to right center in the fourth.
Berry (1-1) had his best start of the season, getting his first career win by allowing two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in five innings pitched. The Virginia Beach resident routinely threw strikes and allowed his defense to make plays, often blowing his fastball by hitters or fooling the offense with a blend of offspeed pitches.
Berry had only two innings where the Eagles threatened to score. EMU shortstop Aaron Crooks reached second base in the second inning on an infield to error to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Berry proceeded to strike out Wally Gerbus, walked Bo Kinder to load the bases and then finished the inning with Ben Magsig looking at a fastball for a strikeout.
The other threat came in the fifth inning when Todd Graves doubled down the left field line and Zack Leonard followed with a left-field single to put runners on the corners with one out. Berry then struck out Andrew Marshall and forced Daniel Russell into an inning-ending groundout to first baseman Justin McDavid.
Reliever Chris Enourato entered the game with one out in the sixth inning and earned his third save of the season. WVU’s all-time saves leader also earned his 20th career save by allowing no runs and no hits in the final 1.2 innings.
EMU’s Jordan Glover (0-4) suffered the loss in game one, allowing four runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings pitched. Reliever Neil Butara gave up one run on one hit in 2.2 innings.
The Eagles scored in seven of the nine innings played in game two, including a 10-run outburst in the fourth inning that virtually ended any chance of a Mountaineer comeback. EMU starter Kendall Lewis was efficient on the mound, tossing seven scoreless innings and giving up just three hits with seven strikeouts. The Mountaineers tallied five hits against Lewis and reliever Steven Young, with Jedd Gyorko, Hayes, Chris Rasky, McDavid and Clark Sambuco getting one apiece.
WVU right-hander Chase Pickering (1-2) took the loss as the Mountaineers were forced to use five pitchers in game two. Marcus Broadwater came in with one out in the ninth and did not allow a run while striking out one.
The Mountaineers have an opportunity to take three of four from EMU on Sunday afternoon at Hawley Field. First pitch begins at noon. The WVU coaching staff and players will conduct a youth baseball camp following Sunday’s contest. Brochures and other information regarding the event can be found on MSNsportsNET.com.
