Friday, May 11
Fort Worth, Texas
7:30 p.m.
West Virginia University
at
TCU
Final Regular-Season Roadtrip Sends WVU to TCU
May 10, 2018 05:05 PM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University baseball team takes to the road for the final time in the regular season this weekend for a series at TCU, from May 11-13.
The series in Fort Worth, Texas, begins on Friday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT. Saturday's first pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT, in a contest broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest. Sunday's series finale at Lupton Stadium commences at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.
Friday, May 11, 7:30 p.m. ET – Video | Radio | Stats
Saturday, May 12, 5 p.m. ET – TV: FSSW | Radio | Stats
Sunday, May 13, 2 p.m. ET – Video | Radio | Stats
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The Mountaineers (25-21, 7-11 Big 12) have won five of their last seven games after a 10-5 win over Virginia Tech on Wednesday night. This weekend's series is a homecoming for eight Texas natives, along with coach Randy Mazey, who was an assistant at TCU from 2007-12.
The Horned Frogs (27-18, 8-9 Big 12) have won six in a row, capped by a home sweep of Lamar last weekend. They did not play a midweek game this week.
TCU and WVU are in sixth and seventh place in the Big 12 standings, respectively. West Virginia sits a game and a half behind TCU in the standings and two games behind fifth-place Baylor, with two weekends remaining in the regular season. Both WVU and TCU have clinched a berth in the Big 12 Championship.
Senior right-hander BJ Myers (1-1, 4.42 ERA) will take the mound for the Mountaineers on Friday against Horned Frog sophomore left-hander Nick Lodolo (6-3, 4.65). A pair of sophomore rightys get the start on Saturday, as WVU's Kade Strowd (4-4, 4.79) faces TCU's Jake Eissler (4-1, 2.96). Both starters for Sunday's finale have not been determined.
The Mountaineers rank among the NCAA and Big 12 leaders in several categories. West Virginia leads the Big 12 and is No. 18 nationally with 83 stolen bases, while WVU is No. 2 in the league and No. 14 in the country with 46 double plays turned. Additionally, the Mountaineers are No. 3 in the conference with 15 triples and 27 sacrifice bunts.
Individually, several players rank inside the top-25 nationally. Braden Zarbnisky ranks No. 11 nationally with 0.62 stolen bases per game, while he is No. 12 in the country with 0.95 walks per game. Kyle Gray also comes in at No. 12 with a .706 slugging percentage, while Marques Inman's 0.43 doubles per game ranks No. 14 in the country. Darius Hill is No. 23 in the NCAA with an average of 13.1 at-bats per strikeout. Additionally, Hill and Inman each have 18 doubles, which is No. 24 in the country.
Gray enters the weekend with a career-long and team-best 23-game hit streak, the longest by a Mountaineer since 2009, while he has 13 home runs, tied for seventh-most in a single season in program history. Gray hit four home runs last week and was named the Big 12 Player of the Week, one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week and the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week.
FOLLOWING ALONG
There are a number of ways to follow along with this weekend's games.
SCOUTING TCU
TCU is 27-18 on the season and 8-9 in Big 12 play. The Horned Frogs are 20-8 at home and have won seven of their last eight at Lupton Stadium. TCU has won back-to-back weekend series, both at home, vs. No. 3 Texas Tech from April 27-29 and against Lamar last weekend.
Josh Watson leads the squad with a .327 batting average and 56 hits, while he is second with eight home runs, and a .550 slugging percentage. A.J. Balta has a team-best 42 RBIs and 14 doubles with 50 hits.
On the mound, Nick Lodolo has a team-leading six wins and 78 strikeouts in 62.0 innings. Durbin Feltman owns a 0.40 ERA and six saves in 22.1 innings in relief.
In his 15th season as head coach, Jim Schlossnagle has compiled a 642-300 record with the Horned Frogs. The all-time winningest coach in TCU history, Schlossnagle has guided TCU to five College World Series.
SERIES HISTORY VS. HORNED FROGS
West Virginia is 4-14 all-time against TCU. The Horned Frogs own a 6-0 lead in Fort Worth and are 6-3 at West Virginia. The two teams have met three times at the Big 12 Championship, including in 2016, where TCU claimed an 11-10 win in 10 innings in the championship game.
Last year, West Virginia earned a dramatic series victory against No. 3 TCU, with two walk-off victories.
ON DECK: FINAL WEEK BEGINS VS. MARSHALL
The final week of the regular season begins vs. in-state foe Marshall on Tuesday, May 15, at 6:30 p.m. ET, at Monongalia County Ballpark. It is the final Dollar Day of the year, with tickets and select concession items available for just $1. Tickets are available at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU GAME, at the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum or on game day at Monongalia County Ballpark. Admission for WVU students is free with a valid student I.D. Along with Dollar Day, fans can play Baseball Bingo.
LAST TIME OUT: EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES IN WIN OVER VT
West Virginia won its eighth consecutive midweek matchup with a 10-5 victory over Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.
Single game tickets 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.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and visit WVUsports.com.
The series in Fort Worth, Texas, begins on Friday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT. Saturday's first pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT, in a contest broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest. Sunday's series finale at Lupton Stadium commences at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.
Friday, May 11, 7:30 p.m. ET – Video | Radio | Stats
Saturday, May 12, 5 p.m. ET – TV: FSSW | Radio | Stats
Sunday, May 13, 2 p.m. ET – Video | Radio | Stats
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
The Mountaineers (25-21, 7-11 Big 12) have won five of their last seven games after a 10-5 win over Virginia Tech on Wednesday night. This weekend's series is a homecoming for eight Texas natives, along with coach Randy Mazey, who was an assistant at TCU from 2007-12.
The Horned Frogs (27-18, 8-9 Big 12) have won six in a row, capped by a home sweep of Lamar last weekend. They did not play a midweek game this week.
TCU and WVU are in sixth and seventh place in the Big 12 standings, respectively. West Virginia sits a game and a half behind TCU in the standings and two games behind fifth-place Baylor, with two weekends remaining in the regular season. Both WVU and TCU have clinched a berth in the Big 12 Championship.
Senior right-hander BJ Myers (1-1, 4.42 ERA) will take the mound for the Mountaineers on Friday against Horned Frog sophomore left-hander Nick Lodolo (6-3, 4.65). A pair of sophomore rightys get the start on Saturday, as WVU's Kade Strowd (4-4, 4.79) faces TCU's Jake Eissler (4-1, 2.96). Both starters for Sunday's finale have not been determined.
The Mountaineers rank among the NCAA and Big 12 leaders in several categories. West Virginia leads the Big 12 and is No. 18 nationally with 83 stolen bases, while WVU is No. 2 in the league and No. 14 in the country with 46 double plays turned. Additionally, the Mountaineers are No. 3 in the conference with 15 triples and 27 sacrifice bunts.
Individually, several players rank inside the top-25 nationally. Braden Zarbnisky ranks No. 11 nationally with 0.62 stolen bases per game, while he is No. 12 in the country with 0.95 walks per game. Kyle Gray also comes in at No. 12 with a .706 slugging percentage, while Marques Inman's 0.43 doubles per game ranks No. 14 in the country. Darius Hill is No. 23 in the NCAA with an average of 13.1 at-bats per strikeout. Additionally, Hill and Inman each have 18 doubles, which is No. 24 in the country.
Gray enters the weekend with a career-long and team-best 23-game hit streak, the longest by a Mountaineer since 2009, while he has 13 home runs, tied for seventh-most in a single season in program history. Gray hit four home runs last week and was named the Big 12 Player of the Week, one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week and the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week.
FOLLOWING ALONG
There are a number of ways to follow along with this weekend's games.
- TCU will have a live stream of Friday and Sunday's games, on GoFrogs.com. A subscription is required. Saturday's contest will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Southwest and streamed on Fox Sports Go.
- Fans can listen to the games on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG on various affiliates throughout the state, while fans across the country can tune in to the broadcasts online at WVUsports.com and on the WVU Gameday App, as well as the TuneIn App on their mobile device. Dan Zangrilli will have the call.
- Direct links to the video streams, radio broadcasts and live stats can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com.
- Additional behind-the-scenes updates, news and notes can be found on social media by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @WVUBaseball.
SCOUTING TCU
TCU is 27-18 on the season and 8-9 in Big 12 play. The Horned Frogs are 20-8 at home and have won seven of their last eight at Lupton Stadium. TCU has won back-to-back weekend series, both at home, vs. No. 3 Texas Tech from April 27-29 and against Lamar last weekend.
Josh Watson leads the squad with a .327 batting average and 56 hits, while he is second with eight home runs, and a .550 slugging percentage. A.J. Balta has a team-best 42 RBIs and 14 doubles with 50 hits.
On the mound, Nick Lodolo has a team-leading six wins and 78 strikeouts in 62.0 innings. Durbin Feltman owns a 0.40 ERA and six saves in 22.1 innings in relief.
In his 15th season as head coach, Jim Schlossnagle has compiled a 642-300 record with the Horned Frogs. The all-time winningest coach in TCU history, Schlossnagle has guided TCU to five College World Series.
SERIES HISTORY VS. HORNED FROGS
West Virginia is 4-14 all-time against TCU. The Horned Frogs own a 6-0 lead in Fort Worth and are 6-3 at West Virginia. The two teams have met three times at the Big 12 Championship, including in 2016, where TCU claimed an 11-10 win in 10 innings in the championship game.
Last year, West Virginia earned a dramatic series victory against No. 3 TCU, with two walk-off victories.
- The series began with a 5-4 win on Friday, April 14, as a sacrifice fly by Ivan Gonzalez drove in the winning run after TCU tied the game at 4-4 with a three-run ninth inning. While ending TCU's 13-game win streak, BJ Myers had another dominant start, pitching 8.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts and a walk. WVU led 4-1 in the fifth inning, as TCU starter Jared Janczak pitched a season-low 4.2 innings and gave up a season-high four runs on six hits.
- The Horned Frogs rallied for an 8-6 win on Saturday to even the series, scoring five runs in the eighth inning after the Mountaineers scored runs in each of the first four innings. Starter Michael Grove allowed two earned runs on six hits with nine strikeouts and three walks in 7.0 innings. Kyle Davis and Jimmy Galusky both homered.
- WVU again walked off to win the series on Sunday, 5-4. WVU scored two runs on no hits in the ninth inning, thanks to four walks and a hit batter. Jackson Cramer walked in the tying run and Darius Hill walked in the winning run with two outs. West Virginia's bullpen combined to allow no runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings before TCU closer Durbin Feltman blew his first career save in 19 attempts in the ninth.
ON DECK: FINAL WEEK BEGINS VS. MARSHALL
The final week of the regular season begins vs. in-state foe Marshall on Tuesday, May 15, at 6:30 p.m. ET, at Monongalia County Ballpark. It is the final Dollar Day of the year, with tickets and select concession items available for just $1. Tickets are available at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU GAME, at the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum or on game day at Monongalia County Ballpark. Admission for WVU students is free with a valid student I.D. Along with Dollar Day, fans can play Baseball Bingo.
LAST TIME OUT: EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES IN WIN OVER VT
West Virginia won its eighth consecutive midweek matchup with a 10-5 victory over Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.
- The Mountaineers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead to beat the Hokies for the third consecutive time and the ninth in the last 13 games. Every Mountaineer had at least one hit, seven drove in one or more runs and eight had at least one run scored. Seven WVU starters had multiple hits or multiple RBIs in the contest.
- Kyle Gray once again led the offensive effort, extending his hit streak to 23 consecutive games, the longest by a Mountaineer since 2009. Gray had a team-high-tying three hits with an RBI and a run scored. Braden Zarbnisky and Jimmy Galusky also had three hits, while Darius Hill, Ivan Gonzalez and Brandon White each had two RBIs.
- Gray (24 games), Hill (22) and Marques Inman (21) all extended their career-long reached-base streaks in the victory.
- Tristen Hudson earned the win on the mound, the first of his career. In 1.2 innings in relief, Hudson allowed a run on two hits with a walk.
Single game tickets 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.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and visit WVUsports.com.
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