WVU Falls in Saturday’s Second Game

Saturday, February 24

Conway, S.C.

7:00 p.m.

West Virginia University

2-4

VCU

3-3

West Virginia

VCU

Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks

February 24, 2018 11:03 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

By: Charlie Healy

CONWAY, S.C. – Playing its second game of the day, the West Virginia University baseball team lost to VCU, 8-5 on Saturday evening in Conway, South Carolina.

After a 10-8 win over Illinois on a warm Saturday early afternoon, the Mountaineers returned to Springs Brooks Stadium and scored five runs on 10 hits in the evening contest. The Rams (3-3) plated eight runs on 13 hits, with two unearned runs.

West Virginia was led offensively by sophomore first baseman Kevin Brophy and junior shortstop Jimmy Galusky, who both hit home runs and had a pair of hits. Brophy's homer in the fifth inning was his fifth of the season and fourth of the day, after he hit three in Saturday's first game. Galusky's eighth-inning shot was his second of the year and seventh of his career.

Galusky had a team-best two RBIs, while junior designated hitter Ivan Gonzalez also added two hits and an RBI.

Sophomore right-handed starter Alek Manoah suffered his first loss of the season. In 4.2 innings, he allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Manoah exited the game in the fifth, with a 4-3 lead and two runners on and two outs, but back-to-back wild pitches brought both runs home.

The Mountaineers plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first inning to take a first-inning lead for the second consecutive game. A leadoff hit was followed by a two-out single, and a four-pitch walk loaded the bases. Freshman third baseman Tyler Doanes followed with a grounder to short, but a fielding error extended the inning and brought home the first run. Galusky was then hit by a pitch to push the WVU advantage to 2-0.

VCU chipped into the deficit with a bases-loaded walk in the first, and tied it at 2-2 in the second on a failed pickoff attempt with runners on the corners.

The Rams took a 3-2 lead in the third on three consecutive singles to lead off the inning. However, Manoah got a double play and a pop-out to end the inning and limit the damage.

West Virginia quickly tied the game up again, at 3-3, thanks to an RBI single in the top of the fourth. It came off the bat of Gonzalez with two outs, scoring sophomore left fielder TJ Lake.

Manoah followed with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth, before Brophy's solo home run in the fifth inning gave the Mountaineers the lead back, 4-3.

VCU answered though, with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Two runners reached with two outs off Manoah, and back-to-back wild pitches after Manoah left the game put the Rams back in the lead, 5-4. The Rams added two more runs in the sixth, on a two-run home run, to extend their lead to 7-4.

In his career debut, freshman left-hander Jackson Wolf came in and got the final out of the sixth inning and pitched a perfect seventh, with two strikeouts.

Galusky's home run to left field highlighted the eighth inning for the Mountaineers. That brought them within two, at 7-5. However, the Rams got the run back, unearned, on a two-out RBI single in the bottom half. Junior left-hander Zach Reid made his WVU debut and got the last out of the eighth, stranding two runners in scoring position.

The Mountaineers put one on in the ninth, but could not get any closer.

West Virginia's weekend at the Brittain Resorts Invitational concludes against host Coastal Carolina tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. The game will be live streamed and have an online radio broadcast and live stats. Those links can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com. Additional behind-the-scenes updates, news and notes from Conway, South Carolina, can be found on social media by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @WVUBaseball.

NOTES: West Virginia falls to 2-4 on the season … Kevin Brophy hit his fifth home run of the season in the fifth inning and fourth of the day, after hitting three in WVU's win over Illinois this afternoon … Starter Alek Manoah threw 4.2 innings and allowed five runs, four earned, though two of those runs came on wild pitches after he left the game … Manoah gave up eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk … Jackson Wolf made his collegiate debut in the sixth inning and pitched 2.0 innings, allowing one unearned run on no hits with two strikeouts and two walks … Jimmy Galusky hit his second home run of the season and seventh of his career in the eighth inning … Zach Reid made his Mountaineer debut in the eighth inning, retiring the lone batter he faced … Nick Denicola made his career debut as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.

Season tickets and mini-packages for the 2018 season are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets at WVUGAME.com, call 1-800-WVU GAME or visit the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum. The 2018 schedule, with game times, can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com. A printable PDF and schedule breakdown also are available on WVUsports.com.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and visit WVUsports.com.