WVU Gives Up Early Lead, Falls in Game One
February 20, 2015 06:34 PM | General
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STATESBORO, Ga. – Despite being ahead 4-0, the West Virginia University baseball team allowed seven unanswered runs and fell 7-4 to Georgia Southern on Friday evening at Clements Stadium.
West Virginia (2-2) finished with two runs on five hits with no errors and Georgia Southern (4-1) scored seven runs on eight hits with one error.
"We played great defense and early in the game we were really swinging the bats well, but we got one hit over the last seven innings and we walked seven and hit two," coach Randy Mazey said. "You're not going to beat anybody doing that."
The Mountaineers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, scoring four runs on three hits with the aid of a Georgia Southern error.
Senior third baseman Justin Fox, freshman second baseman Shaun Corso and freshman designated hitter Kyle Davis had back-to-back-to-back singles to begin the frame, with Davis driving in Fox. Sophomore catcher Ray Guerrini successfully moved Corso and Davis with a sacrifice bunt, and reached safely on a fielding error, allowing Corso to score on the error.
Junior centerfielder KC Huth then drove in Davis with an RBI ground out to shortstop and senior shortstop Taylor Munden drove in Guerrini with a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 4-0.
Georgia Southern began its comeback in the bottom of the third inning as freshman right-handed pitcher BJ Myers allowed the first three batters to reach safely and Georgia Southern took advantage, scoring two runs to cut the WVU lead to 4-2. Chase Griffin hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Hunter Thomas smacked an RBI single through the right side to drive in the Eagles runs.
The Eagles cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth following a leadoff triple to center field by Kody Adams. Freshman right-hander Adam Keller entered the game for Myers and was able to minimize the damage as only Adams crossed the plate in the inning.
Keller was not as effective in the bottom of the sixth and gave up a leadoff home run to Thomas, tying the game at 4-4. The Eagles loaded the bases with two outs and Will Hudgins hit a two-run single up the middle to give Georgia Southern the 6-4 lead. Freshman right-hander Shane Ennis entered the game and issued a wild pitch, allowing the fourth run of the inning to score and Georgia Southern ended the sixth inning leading 7-4.
Myers (0-0) picked up his second-straight no-decision, allowing three runs on four hits with one strikeout and three walks in 4.0 innings. Keller (0-1) took the loss, giving up four runs on three hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 1.2 innings of relief.
Caleb Pressley (1-0) earned the win in relief for Georgia Southern. Pressey pitched 1.2 innings of shutout relief and walked one.
Five different players had one hit for the Mountaineers, and Thomas batted 3-for-4 with one run and two RBI to lead the Eagles. Hudgins added one run and two RBI as well.
West Virginia and Georgia Southern return to action on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Mountaineers will send junior left-hander Ross Vance (0-1) to the mound and he will face Georgia Southern right-hander Adam Kelly (0-0).
Links to live video, live audio and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
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