Mountaineers Power Way to Alumni Game Win
October 07, 2017 03:47 PM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University baseball team won its annual Alumni Game, 13-3 on Saturday afternoon at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Playing against a squad comprised of more than 40 former WVU baseball letterwinners, the current Mountaineers scored six runs in the third inning and at least two runs in three of the final four frames to earn their second win of the fall season.
"It's a lot of fun to see the returning players come back, we had more than 40 former Mountaineers in attendance today," WVU coach Randy Mazey said. "We got together with them last night and swapped stories. Some of these guys haven't seen each other in 20 years, and I know they enjoy coming back. I always want to send the message to our alumni that I personally appreciate everything they've done for this program and for laying the foundation for what we're doing now. They deserved to be recognized and appreciated for all the blood, sweat and tears they gave to the Mountaineers while they were here."
WVU scored 13 runs on 21 hits while holding the alumni team to three runs on 11 hits. The game was West Virginia's second of the fall season, after opening the exhibition slate with a 7-6 victory over in-state foe Marshall last night.
Sophomore Isaiah Kearns and redshirt freshman Nick Denicola led the team with three hits, while junior Jimmy Galusky had two hits and a team-best three RBIs. Denicola and junior Andrew Zitel notched a pair of RBIs, and Zitel added two hits.
The Mountaineers got on the board with six runs in the third inning as WVU sent 12 men to the plate. Junior Kyle Gray tripled home the first run, and back-to-back singles brought home two more before junior Darius Hill scored on a sacrifice fly.
The WVU advantage was extended to 8-0 in the fifth inning. A two-out walk to junior Chase Illig got things started, and he and sophomore Brandon White scored when Zitel reached on an error.
The alumni answered with a run in the top of the sixth, as Marvin Randle doubled and scored on Josh Williamson's single.
West Virginia answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 10-1 ballgame. Freshman Connor Hamilton led off the inning with a single and scored on Galusky's single. Freshman Tyler Doanes reached on a fielder's choice and also scored.
The WVU alumni responded right back though with two runs of their own in the seventh. Rodney Allen got things going with a double, and JT Heenan brought him home with a single. Harrison Musgrave's second hit of the ballgame, a single, scored Heenan.
The Mountaineers added on in the eighth to make it 13-3, as Doanes singled and scored on TJ Lake's double. Illig also singled and was brought home by Denicola. A bases-loaded walk to sophomore Kevin Brophy scored the final run.
The fall slate concludes for West Virginia against Bucknell on Sunday, Oct. 15, at noon. Admission will be free for all fans at Monongalia County Ballpark.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Playing against a squad comprised of more than 40 former WVU baseball letterwinners, the current Mountaineers scored six runs in the third inning and at least two runs in three of the final four frames to earn their second win of the fall season.
"It's a lot of fun to see the returning players come back, we had more than 40 former Mountaineers in attendance today," WVU coach Randy Mazey said. "We got together with them last night and swapped stories. Some of these guys haven't seen each other in 20 years, and I know they enjoy coming back. I always want to send the message to our alumni that I personally appreciate everything they've done for this program and for laying the foundation for what we're doing now. They deserved to be recognized and appreciated for all the blood, sweat and tears they gave to the Mountaineers while they were here."
WVU scored 13 runs on 21 hits while holding the alumni team to three runs on 11 hits. The game was West Virginia's second of the fall season, after opening the exhibition slate with a 7-6 victory over in-state foe Marshall last night.
Sophomore Isaiah Kearns and redshirt freshman Nick Denicola led the team with three hits, while junior Jimmy Galusky had two hits and a team-best three RBIs. Denicola and junior Andrew Zitel notched a pair of RBIs, and Zitel added two hits.
The Mountaineers got on the board with six runs in the third inning as WVU sent 12 men to the plate. Junior Kyle Gray tripled home the first run, and back-to-back singles brought home two more before junior Darius Hill scored on a sacrifice fly.
The WVU advantage was extended to 8-0 in the fifth inning. A two-out walk to junior Chase Illig got things started, and he and sophomore Brandon White scored when Zitel reached on an error.
The alumni answered with a run in the top of the sixth, as Marvin Randle doubled and scored on Josh Williamson's single.
West Virginia answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 10-1 ballgame. Freshman Connor Hamilton led off the inning with a single and scored on Galusky's single. Freshman Tyler Doanes reached on a fielder's choice and also scored.
The WVU alumni responded right back though with two runs of their own in the seventh. Rodney Allen got things going with a double, and JT Heenan brought him home with a single. Harrison Musgrave's second hit of the ballgame, a single, scored Heenan.
The Mountaineers added on in the eighth to make it 13-3, as Doanes singled and scored on TJ Lake's double. Illig also singled and was brought home by Denicola. A bases-loaded walk to sophomore Kevin Brophy scored the final run.
The fall slate concludes for West Virginia against Bucknell on Sunday, Oct. 15, at noon. Admission will be free for all fans at Monongalia County Ballpark.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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