Mountaineers Win at the Classic
April 13, 2010 10:39 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
April 13, 2010
 |
||
| Dom Hayes |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – It was a back-and-forth offensive duel throughout the night, but the West Virginia University baseball team came away with a highlight-filled 13-11 victory over Eastern Kentucky at the Mountaineer Diamond Classic in front of 1,289 fans at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston.
“I’m real proud of our players and the way they played tonight,” coach Greg Van Zant said. “It was another great scene here in Charleston and our team is happy to get the win tonight in front of our faithful fans in southern West Virginia. It means a lot to our coaching staff and a lot to our program.”
In a game littered with several big hits, it was Dom Hayes’ RBI double down the left field line that proved to be the game-winning hit in the seventh inning. The Freehold, N.J., native continued his breakthrough season by going 3-for-5 with three RBIs, two doubles and two runs scored.
It was a welcomed homecoming for freshman left fielder Matt Frazer, a resident of nearby Alum Creek. With several family and friends in the stands, Frazer launched his first career home run over the right field wall in the first inning, and finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. He also provided a key insurance run in the seventh on a pop-up single to left field to plate Hayes, creating the game’s final score.
Providing some sanity to the mound was senior reliever Andy Altemus (3-3), who got the win in his 19th appearance of the season. The Morgantown resident entered in the seventh with the game tied and the bases loaded with two outs, and managed to strike out Michael Garcia to preserve the tie.
Altemus retired seven of his eight batters faced, turning an offensive slugfest into a one-man show on the mound as he continually kept the Colonels (15-17) off-balanced in the final 2.1 frames. He allowed just one hit and struck out three.
Five lead changes highlighted tonight’s contest, as WVU had to fight back from two different three-run deficits as well as an early two-run deficit. Junior Justin McDavid produced some clutch hits tonight, going 2-for-5 with a career-high three RBIs and a double.
Overall, six WVU players finished with multiple-hit games. The Mountaineers also finished with 15 hits, while EKU posted 11. Both teams combined for 11 extra base hits
Eastern Kentucky struck first when Anthony Ottrando hit a grand slam to give the Colonels an early 4-0 lead in the first inning. Jedd Gyorko then led off with a triple to right center in the bottom half, his first of the season. Gyorko’s triple put him in a tie with former Mountaineer Stan Posluszny for third on the school’s career extra base-hit list with 92, and he later moved into sole possession with a double.
In the same inning,Hayes grounded out to the shortstop to drive in Gyorko. Two batters later, Frazer’s solo shot cut the deficit to 4-2.
WVU tacked on three runs in the second frame. Kevin Griffin plated Colin Durborow on a line-drive double to right center, and Gyorko hit a full-count pitch for a sacrifice fly to centerfield, tying the game at 4-4. Hayes then hit an RBI double down the right field line to put WVU ahead at 5-4.
Richie Rodriguez hit a two-out, slow-rolling single through the left side to plate Matt Phipps, tying the game at 5-5 in the fourth inning for EKU. Jayson Langfels then hit a slow-roller to Durborow, who could not make a clean throw from third base to score two more Colonels.
WVU once again responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to knot the game at 7-7. Frazer hit a one-out single through the left side, then hustled around the bases on an RBI double by McDavid. Griffin then hit a sharp single up the middle to plate McDavid.
McDavid came through once again with a two-run single to left center. Durborow then followed with a chopping two-run double down the left field line to mark the fourth lead change of the game.
EKU loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but Ottrando flied out to Hayes in right field, who made a sharp throw to home plate to prevent the runner from scoring. Ryan Faidley then was hit by a pitch to bring in the tying run, EKU’s final score of the game.
The Mountaineers won at the Mountaineer Diamond Classic for the second straight season after defeating Kentucky last year, 10-7, in Charleston.
WVU returns to conference play when it faces 12th-ranked Louisville beginning on Friday, April 16, at 7:05 p.m. at Hawley Field. The game is a scheduled “Dollar Night,” with all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Colas available for purchase for just one dollar each.
