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WVU Wins Series with 12th-Inning Galusky Walk-Off
March 13, 2016 01:02 AM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Freshman shortstop Jimmy Galusky hit a walk-off single in the 12th inning to send the West Virginia University baseball team to a 6-5 victory over Old Dominion in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Galusky’s two-RBI single was the second time the Mountaineers (9-4) had come back in the game, after they scored one in the ninth to send the contest into extra innings. The Monarchs (11-4) held a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning before sophomore designated hitter Kyle Davis drove in Galusky, the game-tying run, in the ninth. Galusky’s game-winner in the bottom of the 12th inning came after ODU took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 12th.
“Jimmy Galusky continues to impress with the way he’s playing,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “I’m super proud of our guys. Jimmy hit the leadoff triple to tie it in the bottom of the ninth, and then Kyle Davis scored him with the sacrifice fly. That’s four times for Jimmy to get a big hit late in the game. That’s what you can’t teach, that’s just what you’ve got inside your chest. He’s got what it takes to be a championship-type player.”
With one out in the 12th inning, senior center fielder KC Huth stole second and junior catcher Ray Guerrini walked. On a double steal, both Huth and Guerrini moved up 90 feet to get into scoring position. Huth, the tying run, was at third and Guerrini, the winning run, was at second.
That paved the way for Galusky, who sent a single up the right side that scored Huth and Guerrini, who slid in safely. The throw from the ODU right fielder was off target and not in time to get Guerrini
Jimmy Galusky talks about his game-winning hit in the 12th inning to give WVU the series win! Check out the recap from an exciting 6-5 win here: http://wvusports.co/1QPUtrg
Posted by WVU Baseball on Saturday, March 12, 2016
Galusky’s 12th-inning heroics came after he and Davis tied the game in the ninth. Trailing 4-3, Galusky led off the inning with a triple, the sixth of eight times in the game WVU would get the leadoff runner on base. Davis then sent a sacrifice fly to left field, which scored Galusky.
While Galusky gets credit for the knocking in the winning runs, it was a strong bullpen effort by senior Jeff Hardy and freshman Braden Zarbnisky to send the game into the 12th inning. Hardy entered the game in the eighth with two outs and pitched 3.2 innings, giving up just one run on three hits with six strikeouts.
The senior pitched into the 12th, where he exited with one out and before a run was scored. With two outs and the bases loaded, Zarbnisky came in and got a popout to end the inning and hold ODU to just one run scored in the frame. Zarbnisky earned the victory in his first career appearance on the mound.
The comeback was the third in as many games for the Mountaineers, who scored two runs in the sixth and eighth innings to erase a 2-0 deficit and win 4-3 on Friday night. In the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, WVU scored three ninth-inning runs to send the game into extra innings before Old Dominion prevailed for a 5-4 win in 10 innings. The 22-inning doubleheader was a result of Sunday’s game being moved to Saturday with inclement weather expected in the area on Sunday.
Coach Mazey recaps an exciting comeback win.
Posted by WVU Baseball on Saturday, March 12, 2016
Sophomore right-hander BJ Myers got the start was fantastic through six innings on the mound. He retired the first 11 batters he faced and allowed his first hit with one out in the seventh inning. Three runners reached base in the fifth inning on two walks and a fielding error, but Myers was able to prevent any runs from scoring.
The Mountaineers struck first in the fifth inning. Freshman catcher Ivan Vera, making his first start of his career, led off with a double and scored when freshman right fielder Darius Hill reached on an error.
WVU expanded its lead in the sixth inning. Again with a leadoff hit to get things going, freshman third baseman Andrew Zitel started the inning with a double. Sophomore left fielder Caleb Potter followed with a double of his own to score Zitel, and senior center fielder KC Huth then singled to bring home Potter.
Old Dominion answered right back though, with four runs in the top of the seventh inning. After the Monarchs recorded their first hit of the game on a double, a fielding error by junior first baseman Jackson Cramer scored one and a single scored another. Myers walked one before sophomore righty Conner Dotson came in in relief.
One run scored on a sacrifice fly before a single scored the final run of the inning. On the hit to left field, Potter threw home to Guerrini, who fired to freshman shortstop Jimmy Galusky on third to get the final out of the inning on the ODU baserunner trying to run to third.
With Sunday’s game shifted to the second game of today’s doubleheader, the Mountaineers conclude their home-opening homestand with a matchup vs. Radford on Tuesday, March 15. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. ET at Monongalia County Ballpark.
MOUNTAINEERS WIN!!!
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) March 13, 2016
Jimmy Galusky!!#HailWV https://t.co/AASh627oNw
NOTES: WVU improved to 9-4 on the season and won the season series vs. Old Dominion … WVU has won three of its first four series to begin the year, adding a series split at Hawaii … Freshmen Andrew Zitel (third base) and Ivan Vera (catcher) got their first career starts … Sophomore Kyle Davis led off the game with a hit for the third consecutive game and extended his hitting streak to a team-high 11 games and has reached base in 31 games in a row … Freshman Ivan Vera recorded his first career hit with a single in the second inning … Junior Jackson Cramer’s walk in the fifth inning marked the 33rd consecutive game he has reached base … Sophomore BJ Myers retired the first 11 batters he faced and had a no-hitter into the seventh inning … Myers pitched 6.1 innings and allowed four runs, two earned, on four hits with five strikeouts and five walks … Freshman Braden Zarbnisky made his first career appearance on the mound and pitched 0.1 innings allowing no hits to earn the win.
Season and single game tickets for the 2016 WVU baseball season are on sale now. Fans can join the excitement of WVU baseball and contribute to the home field advantage at Monongalia County Ballpark by calling 1-800-WVU GAME, purchasing tickets at WVUGAME.com or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum. More information on season tickets and the 30-game home schedule can be found at WVUsports.com, while single game ticket information is available here.
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