MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – After pitching 8.1 scoreless innings in relief, West Virginia University freshman right-handed pitcher Michael Grove has been named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, the league announced on Monday.
In Sunday’s 12-7 victory at Oklahoma, Grove entered in the first inning and pitched a career-long 8.1 innings in relief. He allowed just four hits with a career-best 13 strikeouts and two walks. The Wheeling, West Virginia, native earned his first career victory as he allowed the WVU offense to climb back into the game after trailing 7-2.
After OU scored seven runs on seven hits in the first inning, Grove came in with two outs and shut down the OU offense, holding the Sooners to just four hits and no runs the rest of the game. He walked two, held OU to a .154 batting average and just one Oklahoma batter reached second base safely the rest of the game.
Grove is the fifth Mountaineer to earn a Big 12 weekly award this season. It marks the first time more than four WVU players were recognized in a season and the second-most Big 12 honors for the Mountaineers since they joined the Big 12 for the 2013 season, behind the six accolades earned in 2014. It is Grove’s first weekly award of his career.
WVU returns to action on Tuesday, April 26, against 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.
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.
