Main-Grove-041216-2.jpg
WVU Edged in Pitcher’s Duel at No. 5 Texas Tech
May 19, 2016 10:45 PM | Baseball
LUBBOCK, Texas – The West Virginia University baseball team lost a pitcher’s duel, 2-1, at No. 5 Texas Tech in the series-opener in Lubbock, Texas, on Thursday evening.
The loss snapped WVU’s 10-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the country and West Virginia’s longest since 2008.
Freshman right-hander Michael Grove led the Mountaineers (32-20, 11-10 Big 12) on the mound with 6.2 strong innings and sophomore righty BJ Myers followed with 1.1 no-hit innings. The duo combined to limit the Red Raiders (39-13, 18-4) to two runs, one of them earned, on three hits.
“Grove pitched really, really well,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “We played well against one of the best teams in the country. I thought we out-played them and out-hit them, they’re just a veteran team that scored two runs when they needed to.”
In 6.2 innings, Grove was fantastic on the mound against the fifth-ranked Red Raiders. He gave up just two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk but suffered the loss. Both runs, and two of the three hits, came in the seventh.
Through six innings, Grove was close to lights-out. He shut Texas Tech down in order in five of the first six innings and a batter did not reach past first base until the seventh. TTU’s first hit came with one out in the third inning and Grove did not yield another baserunner until the seventh.
Texas Tech’s Davis Martin, also a freshman, matched Grove. In 5.1 innings, he gave up one run and one hit and struck out one with four walks. TTU, who already clinched the Big 12 title, improved to 8-0 in Big 12 series openers.
Junior catcher Ray Guerrini recorded three of WVU’s five hits and freshman right fielder Darius Hill drew two of West Virginia’s four walks.
The Mountaineers benefited from a pair of walks to take an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Sophomore designated hitter Kyle Davis led off the game with a five-pitch walk and Hill followed with a walk of his own. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third for junior first baseman Jackson Cramer, who hit a sacrifice fly to center field which scored Davis.
Runners reached for West Virginia in the second, fourth and sixth innings off of Martin, but WVU could not add on. Its best scoring chance came in the sixth inning, when the first two batters reached with one out. That’s when TTU went to the bullpen and brought in Hayden Howard, but Cramer hit the first pitch he saw right at Howard, who turned the double play to end the inning.
In the seventh, the Mountaineers had two hits, the first by Guerrini. With Guerrini on second after a sacrifice bunt, freshman second baseman Cole Austin singled with two outs, but Guerrini was thrown out at home on a close play to end the inning.
Texas Tech took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. A leadoff walk began the inning, just the second inning all game that a TTU batter had reached base. With two outs and the runner on third, a single tied the game at 1-1. After another single, sophomore right-hander BJ Myers relieved Grove on the mound. With runners on the corners, a passed ball scored the go-ahead run.
After going down in order in the eighth, the tying run reached second base in the ninth for the Mountaineers. Freshman third baseman Ivan Vera led off the inning with a single and Guerrini hit his third single of the game with one out to put runners on first and second. But, Ryan Moseley relieved Howard on the mound and got the final two outs of the game, with a strikeout and a groundout.
The series between WVU and TTU continues on Friday, at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT. The regular-season finale is slated for May 21 at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT. Friday’s games will be broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest, while Saturday’s contest will air on Fox Sports Southwest Plus. Both games can also be viewed on the Fox Sports Go app. On the radio, Jeff Culhane will call the action on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG on various affiliates throughout the state. The radio broadcast can also be found online at WVUsports.com or on the TuneIn Radio App and the Mountaineer Gameday App.
NOTES: WVU falls to 32-20 and 11-10 in Big 12 play … The loss snaps WVU’s 10-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the country and WVU’s longest since 2008 … Texas Tech was retired in order in six of its eight innings at the plate … WVU scored in the first inning for the 19th time this season and before its opponent for the 31st time … Freshman Michael Grove pitched 6.2 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
Steve Sabins | April 14
Tuesday, April 14
Coal Rush Baseball Uniform Reveal
Wednesday, March 11
Steve Sabins | Feb. 16
Monday, February 16
Matthew Graveline | Feb. 16
Monday, February 16
