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WVU Comes Back with 10 Unanswered Runs at OU
April 24, 2016 06:17 PM | Baseball
NORMAN, Okla. – Behind 8.1 scoreless innings in relief by freshman Michael Grove, the West Virginia University baseball team rallied with 10 unanswered runs to beat Oklahoma 12-7 on Sunday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
The Mountaineers (20-18, 6-8 Big 12) trailed 7-2 after the first inning but slowly cut into the deficit and used a home run and a grand slam to secure the victory. The Sooners (20-20-1, 6-9) scored seven runs on seven hits in the first inning before Grove shut them down in the final eight innings.
Grove pitched a career-long 8.1 innings in relief and allowed just four hits with a career-best 13 strikeouts and two walks. The right-hander from Wheeling, West Virginia, earned his first career victory and held OU off the scoreboard to allow the WVU offense to rally.
“This one goes to Michael Grove for sure,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “After a seven-spot (in the first inning), to come in and strike out 13 in the last eight innings, who knew? That’s a premium Big 12 pitcher right there in Michael Grove.”
Offensively, all but one WVU starter had at least one hit and all but two scored a run. Six Mountaineers drove in at least one run.
The offensive explosion included a home run by junior catcher Ray Guerrini in the fifth inning and a grand slam from freshman third baseman Cole Austin in the seventh.
Guerrini’s two-run homer, his fourth of the season and seventh of his career, was the eventual game-winning hit. It capped the comeback, drove in the game-tying run and put the Mountaineers ahead, 8-7.
“Ray has relished the role of leader on this team,” added Mazey. “As a leader. He’s settled down some, he’s not as erratic at the plate, he’s not over swinging. He’s turning into a nice mature hitter, and it’s starting to show. All the credit goes to him, it’s his work-ethic, it’s his demeanor, it’s the fact that he sticks with it. He deserves everything that happens.”
On the day, Guerrini had two hits, two RBIs and scored three runs. Freshmen Darius Hill and Kyle Gray and junior Jackson Cramer also had two hits. Gray scored three runs and Cramer scored two.
Austin’s grand slam in the seventh inning put an exclamation point on the WVU rally and gave West Virginia a 12-7 lead.
West Virginia jumped out with two early runs in the first inning, but Oklahoma answered right back with seven runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-2 lead.
The Sooners scored seven runs on six hits with a home run off of WVU starter BJ Myers. With two outs, Grove replaced Myers and proceeded to shut the OU offense down.
Trailing by five runs, the Mountaineers slowly started to chip into the deficit.
It began in the second inning with three consecutive singles to score one run and cut the OU lead to 7-3.
WVU added two in the fourth to make it 7-5. The first three batters reached to load the bases, and freshman shortstop Jimmy Galusky singled to bring home one. Austin then reached on a fielder’s choice to score another.
The comeback was completed in the fifth inning. Cramer led off the inning with a double and with one out, sophomore second baseman Kyle Davis singled up the middle to score Cramer.
After Gray hit into a fielder’s choice, Guerrini stepped to the plate and on the first pitch of the at-bat, the 7-6 deficit became an 8-7 lead. Guerrini blasted a long home run to deep center field that hit near the top of the batter’s eye.
West Virginia added valuable insurance runs in the seventh inning to take a 12-7 lead thanks to Austin’s grand slam. With two outs, Austin connected on his first career grand slam on a ball that cleared the wall in left.
WVU returns home on Tuesday, April 26, for a matchup with in-state rival Marshall. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET at Monongalia County Ballpark. The game, which begins a season-ending 12-game homestand, is a Gold Rush, and all fans are encouraged to wear gold to cheer on the Mountaineers.
NOTES: WVU improved to 20-18 on the season and 6-8 in the Big 12 … WVU scored before its opponent for the 20th time this season and scored in the first inning for the 11th time … Junior Ray Guerrini hit his seventh career home run and fourth of the season in the fifth inning … Freshman Cole Austin hit his first career grand slam and fourth home run of the season in the seventh inning … Freshman Michael Grove earned his first career win, pitching 8.1 innings in relief and allowing just four hits with a career-best 13 strikeouts.
Single game and flex plan 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 Gate A of Monongalia County Ballpark. More information on single game tickets and can be found at WVUsports.com, while flex plan ticket information is available here.
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