Box Score BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (March 3, 2018) – A two-run 10th inning and a season-high four home runs led the West Virginia University baseball team to an 11-9 victory at Western Kentucky on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Mountaineers (4-5) secured the series victory over the Hilltoppers (5-6) as every starter had at least one hit, seven had at least one RBI and seven scored at least one run. WVU scored 11 runs on 15 hits, both season highs, and scored multiple runs in an inning four times.
 
"I thought we were locked in from the first inning of the game," WVU coach Randy Mazey said. "They threw some pretty good arms at us, but I thought our approach was really good. Just about everyone in the lineup is seeing the ball pretty well right now."
 
Junior Braden Zarbnisky drove in the game-winning run in the 10th inning and earned the win on the mound. He had a career-high five hits, an RBI and three runs scored and pitched the final 2.0 innings to pick up his first win of the season.
 
Zarbnisky, who started the game in left field, took the mound in the ninth with the Mountaineers ahead, 9-8. He gave up a game-tying sacrifice fly but responded in extras with a go-ahead single and scored WVU's 11th run. Zarbnisky followed with a scoreless bottom half of the 10th on the mound to secure the victory.
 
"That's just Zarb, he had five hits today and got the win on the mound," Mazey added. "That's why he's one of the best two-way players in the nation. He's a little bit slow getting going on the mound right now, but he'll get back into it. Having him at the top of the lineup really changes the complexion of the team."
 
Along with Zarbnisky's 5-for-5 day at the plate, junior second baseman Kyle Gray hit a pair of home runs and had two RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomore catcher Chase Illig and sophomore first baseman Kevin Brophy also homered, and Illig had two RBIs.
 
The 10th-inning rally began when sophomore center fielder Brandon White walked and stole second. Zarbnisky then singled to left, to bring home White. On the throw, Zarbnisky took second, and he advanced to third on the errant throw home from the WKU left fielder. A sacrifice fly scored Zarbnisky to give the Mountaineers their 11-9 lead.
 
The Mountaineers wasted no time getting the offense going in the first inning, scoring three runs. Junior third baseman Andrew Zitel got things going with an RBI single to extend his career-long hitting streak to a team-best six games. Two batters later, sophomore designated hitter Marques Inman gave WVU a 3-0 advantage with a two-RBI single to left-center.
 
Sophomore right-handed starter Alek Manoah stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the first with a strikeout, and used strikeouts in the next two innings to leave one on in the second and two in the third.
 
In 4.0 innings, Manoah gave up four runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks. He departed after the fourth inning with an 8-4 lead and earned a no-decision.
 
WVU added to their lead in the top of the fourth to make it 5-0. Gray led off the inning with a home run, his first of the game, and Zitel hit a two-out, RBI single that scored Zarbnisky.
 
In the bottom half, the Hilltoppers got on the board thanks to a two-out grand slam by Jacob Rhinesmith that cut the WVU lead to 5-4.
 
However, the Mountaineers answered right back with three runs in the top of the fifth off the WKU bullpen. Inman walked with one out to set up Illig's home run to right. That extended the WVU lead to 7-4, and Gray followed with his second homer of the day, a two-out, solo shot to right-center.
 
Junior right-hander Christian Young relieved Manoah to start the fifth inning, and gave up a run on a sacrifice fly that cut into the WVU lead. Western Kentucky added solo home runs in the sixth and seventh to make it a one-run game, 8-7, before a two-out RBI single tied the game at 8-8. Freshman lefty Jackson Wolf came in and got a groundout to end the seventh inning, and he followed it up with a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
 
Brophy hit a solo home run to lead off the ninth inning that put the Mountaineers back on top, 9-8. However, the Hilltoppers tied the game in the bottom half off Zarbnisky, thanks to a one-out triple high off the wall in right-center and a sacrifice fly that made it 9-9.
 
After West Virginia regained the lead in the top of the 10th, a one-out single was all Western Kentucky could do in the bottom half.
 
WVU will play for the series sweep on Sunday, March 4, at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT. Western Kentucky will have live video, audio and stats for the contest, and links can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com. Additional behind-the-scenes updates, news and notes from Bowling Green, Kentucky, will be available on social media by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @WVUBaseball.
 
NOTES: West Virginia improved to 4-5 on the season … The Mountaineers take a 2-0 lead in the all-time series vs. Western Kentucky … WVU hit four home runs, the most in a game this season and the most since the Mountaineers hit six on June 2, 2017, in the NCAA Tournament … Every Mountaineer starter had at least one hit, seven had at least one RBI and seven scored at least one run … WVU's 11 runs and 15 hits are both season highs, while it is the fifth time in its first nine games that West Virginia has at least 10 hits … Kyle Gray hit a career-high two home runs and has three on the season and six in his career … It was Gray's second multi-hit game of the season and first multi-RBI game … Chase Illig hit his second home run in as many games and now has three this season and six in his career, and it was Illig's second multi-RBI game of the year … Andrew Zitel extended his career-long hitting streak to a team-best six consecutive games and had two hits and a career-high-tying two RBIs for his second multi-hit and multi-RBI game of the season … Braden Zarbnisky had a career-high five hits, his 18th career multi-hit game and first of the season … Zarbnisky also pitched 2.0 innings in relief and earned the win, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts … Marques Inman had a season-high two RBIs, his sixth career multi-RBI game.
 
Season tickets, single game 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.