Box Score STATESBORO, Ga. – Junior right-handed starter Kade Strowd took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and the West Virginia University baseball team held Georgia Southern to three hits, all infield singles, but it was not enough in a 1-0 loss in the series finale in Statesboro, Georgia, on Saturday night.
 
The Mountaineers (4-3) once again benefited from a dominant performance by the pitching staff, as Strowd and a pair of relievers held the Eagles (2-4) to one unearned run on three hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk. In the three-game series, WVU limited GSU to three total runs on 13 hits, and two of the three runs were unearned.
 
"I thought we pitched really well," WVU coach Randy Mazey said. "That's seven games for the Mountaineers now and seven quality starts out of the starting pitching, which you didn't see much out of last year, so I'm super encouraged by the way we're pitching it. The hitting will come around, we have too good of hitters in the lineup for it not to come around. It's early, it's a long season. Good hitters just aren't collecting hits right now, so I'm not nearly as worried about that part of it. I am super encouraged about the pitching that we've been getting."
 
West Virginia won the three-game series at Jack Stallings Field at J.I. Clements Stadium, with a 5-1 win on Friday night and a 3-1 victory earlier today in the first game of the doubleheader. The series finale was moved up to a doubleheader on Saturday with inclement weather expected in the area on Sunday.
 
Strowd recorded his first career quality start and allowed just one unearned run on two hits with eight strikeouts and a walk in 6.2 innings. The junior threw 97 pitches, 74 for strikes. In his first four innings, Strowd threw 41 pitches, all but six for strikes.
 
For the second consecutive night, GSU was held hitless into the fifth inning, as Strowd had a perfect game for 4.2 innings a night after junior right-hander Alek Manoah held the Eagles hitless for 4.2 innings in the series opener.
 
Freshman right-hander Ryan Bergert relieved Strowd and pitched 1.0 scoreless innings and allowed one hit with a strikeout and no walks. Senior lefty Zach Reid also retired the lone batter he faced, with a strikeout to end the eighth inning and leave a runner on.
 
All three of Georgia Southern's hits were infield singles. Offensively, the Mountaineers had five hits. WVU left nine runners on and GSU stranded four.
 
West Virginia's first hit was a leadoff single by sophomore second baseman Tyler Doanes to lead off the game, but he was stranded on second.
 
Strowd retired the side in the first on 12 pitches, with one strikeout, and needed just six pitches to throw a 1-2-3 second inning. An 11-pitch third inning was followed by a 12-pitch perfect fourth.
 
Both teams had a hit and left two runners on in the fifth. In the Mountaineer half, sophomore third baseman Tristen Hudson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and took third on a single by junior designated hitter Kevin Brophy. However, Hudson was thrown out at home on a sacrifice bunt attempt, and a fielder's choice ended the inning.
 
In the bottom half of the fifth, Strowd got the first two outs before a high chopper up the middle was bobbled by the Mountaineer defense. The play was ruled a hit to break up the perfect game. Strowd walked the next batter but got a groundout to end the inning.
 
The Mountaineers had another scoring chance in the sixth, thanks to a pair of singles, but a flyout ended the inning.
 
The Eagles scored the game's lone run in the sixth inning on one hit. The leadoff hitter reached on an error, and an infield single put runners on the corners with one out. An infield ground ball, ruled a fielder's choice, scored the runner from third before Strowd got a double play to end the inning and limit the damage.
 
Strowd got the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh before Bergert got a strikeout to end the inning.
 
After WVU left a runner on in the eighth, Reid came on with a runner on and two outs to get a strikeout to end the inning.
 
In the ninth, Hudson led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly. Sophomore pinch hitter Paul McIntosh was hit by a pitch with two outs to put runners on the corners, but a pop-out in foul territory ended the game.
 
West Virginia returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 26, as the Mountaineers have added a home game against Towson at 2 p.m. ET, at Monongalia County Ballpark. Admission to the contest will be free for all fans.
 
Notes: West Virginia falls to 4-3 on the season and 3-3 on the road … WVU recorded its first series win of the season this weekend … In the three-game series, the Mountaineers held the Eagles to three total runs on 13 hits, and two of the three runs were unearned … Kade Strowd pitched 6.2 innings and allowed one unearned run on two hits with eight strikeouts and a walk … the quality start was the first of Strowd's career.
 
Single game tickets, season tickets and mini-packages for the 2019 season are on sale now. Fans can join the excitement of WVU baseball and support the Mountaineers by purchasing tickets at WVUGAME.com, calling 1-800-WVU GAME or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
 
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