Baseball: West Virginia Hosts UConn
March 31, 2010 01:22 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
March 31, 2010
CONNECTICUT GAME NOTES
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University baseball team hosts Connecticut in its BIG EAST opener beginning on Thursday, April 1, at 5 p.m. at Hawley Field. Friday and Saturday’s games begin at 3 p.m. and noon, respectively.
“UConn is a very good team that has a lot of big wins so far this season,” coach Greg Van Zant said. “They are a team that has very good pitching and was projected to finish at the top of our league. It will be a great challenge for our ballclub.”
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| Dom Hayes has given the Mountaineer offense a big boost this season.
WVU Photography Photo/Dan Friend |
Saturday’s contest is also “Through With Chew Ball Day,” as the first 250 kids get a free baseball courtesy of Through With Chew. WVU players will be available for autographs following the game in the home dugout.
The Mountaineers (13-11, 2-1) got off to an auspicious beginning in conference play, taking two of three at Seton Hall last weekend. The series win marks the fifth consecutive season WVU has begun conference play with a series victory.
WVU has won nine of its last 11 games, lowering its ERA by nearly two runs during that span. The starter combination of right-handers Jarryd Summers and Andy Berry as well as left-hander Eric Hinkle held Seton Hall to just four runs in three games.
Summers (1-3) leads WVU with a 2.87 ERA, and ranks third in the conference with a .180 opposing batting average as well as fourth with 15 batters who have struck out looking. Despite taking a loss in his last start, the Sharpsville, Pa., native surrendered just one earned run in seven innings pitched with eight strikeouts on three hits.
WVU’s relief combination of senior right-handers Andy Altemus and Chris Enourato has elevated the Mountaineers to an 11-0 mark when leading after eight innings. Altemus leads the BIG EAST with 13 appearances, earning two saves last week while not allowing a hit in 2.2 innings pitched.
Enourato picked up his fourth victory of the season against Seton Hall last Saturday, throwing 4.1 shutout innings with six strikeouts in WVU’s 5-2 win. Enourato is fourth in the BIG EAST with 40 strikeouts, ranking among the top pitchers despite being a reliever and throwing less innings than the other category leaders.
Junior Dom Hayes led WVU at the plate last week. Hayes finished 7-for-15 with four RBIs, four doubles and two runs scored. He led the Mountaineers in their 10-7 win over Bowling Green, finishing 3-for-5 with a career-high four RBIs and two doubles, and carries a nine-game hitting streak. Freshman Matt Frazer owns the team’s longest hitting streak this season at 10 games.
Connecticut comes to Morgantown with a well-established résumé. Picked to finish third in the BIG EAST preseason coaches’ poll, the Huskies (13-7, 1-2) have quality wins over Minnesota, Indiana, Southern California, Ohio State and earned a win against ninth-ranked Louisville last weekend.
UConn has ridden its starting pitching through the first 20 games, particularly from starters Elliot Glynn and Matt Barnes. Glynn (2-2), a left-hander, is expected to start Thursday, showing a miniscule 1.39 ERA with 17 strikeouts and eight walks.
Barnes (4-0) is expected to get the starting nod on Saturday, carrying a 2.30 ERA with 30 K’s in 27.1 innings. He defeated Louisville in game two of a doubleheader, striking out nine in eight shutout frames.
Junior infielder Mike Nemeth is one of the conference’s top hitters, batting .405 with three home runs, 17 RBIs, six doubles and 16 runs scored. Preseason all-BIG EAST team member George Springer is hitting .257 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.
WVU owns a 23-19 all-time record against the Huskies, winning three of four games last season.
