MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Senior left-hander Ross Vance threw his first complete game of the season to lead the West Virginia University baseball team to a 5-1 victory and series win over Baylor on Saturday afternoon at Monongalia County Ballpark.
In front of 1,534 fans and with a light rain falling throughout most of the game, Vance tossed his fourth career complete game.
After a ninth-inning rally fell short in the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Mountaineers (23-19, 8-9 Big 12) answered by scoring two runs early and adding three late insurance runs to secure their third Big 12 series win of the season.
“When you play a doubleheader, the team that grabs the lead in the second game always has the advantage, because fatigue starts setting in,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “Getting the lead was important, it dictated the whole pace. We had plenty of opportunities. Vance was sharper and better as the game went on. It’s super good to see that out of him, because that’s the best he’s pitched probably all year.”
Vance (5-3) held Baylor to one unearned run on seven hits with nine strikeouts and just one walk. It was the second complete game pitched by WVU against the Bears (20-24, 6-12) in as many days after junior right-hander Chad Donato threw a two-hit shutout in yesterday’s series-opening, 10-0, win.
Junior first baseman Jackson Cramer had his fifth multi-hit game in the last six contests and drove in more than one run for the third time in the last four games. In Saturday’s win, he accounted for four of WVU’s five runs, with two RBIs and two runs scored on two hits with a walk.
The Mountaineers got on the board in the second. After Vance tossed a 1-2-3 top of the inning, Cramer led off the bottom half with a single and scored on a groundout by freshman center fielder Kyle Gray.
In the third, the eventual winning run scored on a bases-loaded walk. Junior catcher Ray Guerrini drew the four-pitch walk and earned the RBI as sophomore left fielder Kyle Davis scored.
Meanwhile, Vance allowed baserunners to reach in four of the first six innings but prevented any damage thanks to strong defense and timely strikeouts.
In the seventh, Baylor cut into WVU’s 2-0 lead with a single run. The run scored on a fielding error with two outs.
In the eighth inning, Vance retired the Bears in order before the Mountaineers added three valuable insurance runs. Davis led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After freshman third baseman Ivan Vera singled, Cramer doubled to the wall in right to score Davis and Vera. The final run of the inning came when Cramer scored on a wild pitch.
With a 5-1 advantage, Vance finished what he started in the ninth. Despite one runner reaching on an error, the senior did not allow the baserunner to reach past first base to secure the series win.
WVU is back in action on Tuesday, May 3 against Virginia Tech. First pitch at Monongalia County Ballpark is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. It will be the first ever Stripe the Park, where fans sitting in even sections are encouraged to wear blue, and fans sitting in odd sections should wear gold. Complete details about Stripe the Park can be found at WVUSports.com/StripeThePark.
NOTES: WVU improved to 23-19 on the season, 8-9 in the Big 12, 12-10 at home and 6-6 all-time vs. Baylor … Senior Ross Vance threw his fourth career complete game and first of the season … Vance improved to 5-3 on the year, going 9.0 innings and allowing one unearned run on seven hits with nine strikeouts and a walk … Vance threw WVU’s second complete game of the season after junior Chad Donato went the distance in Friday’s 10-0 win over Baylor … Junior Jackson Cramer had two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored, all team highs … It is Cramer’s 12th multi-hit game of the season and sixth multi-RBI game.
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.
