Mountaineers Drop Opener at No. 3 Oregon State - West Virginia University Athletics

Friday, March 1

Corvallis, Ore.

8:35 p.m.

West Virginia University

5-4

Oregon State

9-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
West Virginia	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	2	2	3
Oregon State	0	7	0	0	0	2	0	0	X	9	6	1

March 02, 2019 12:19 AM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

By: Charlie Healy

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The West Virginia University baseball team lost the opening game of a three-game series at No. 3 Oregon State, 9-2, on Friday night in Corvallis, Oregon.

In front of 3,535 fans at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, the Mountaineers (5-4) were held to two runs on two hits and committed three errors. The Beavers (9-0) scored their nine runs on six hits and had one error. OSU, who won its 16th consecutive home opener, benefited from a seven-run second inning.

Senior catcher Ivan Gonzalez homered in the eighth inning to lead the WVU offense. It was his second of the season and eighth of his career. Gonzalez added a pair of walks in the contest, while junior left fielder TJ Lake also had a hit for the Mountaineers.

Junior right-handed starter Alek Manoah suffered the loss and falls to 1-1 on the season. In 2.0 innings, he allowed seven runs, four earned, on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

The Beavers jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning on four hits with an error. With the bases loaded after a throwing error, back-to-back batters were hit by pitches to bring the first two runs in. A wild pitch scored another, and a two-RBI double brought in two more. The final two runs of the inning came on a wild pitch and an RBI single.

West Virginia's first baserunner came in the fourth inning, as sophomore second baseman Tyler Doanes reached on a fielding error by the center fielder to lead off the inning. Gonzalez walked to put two on, but a strikeout and a double play ended WVU's scoring threat.

Lake reached on an infield single in the fifth for WVU's first hit of the game, but he was stranded at first.

Meanwhile, freshman right-hander Gabe Kurtzhals retired the side in order in the third and fourth and did not allow a hit in the fifth after a runner reached on an error.

The Mountaineers got on the board in the sixth inning, as back-to-back walks and a hit batter loaded the bases. With two outs, a wild pitch scored Doanes, who walked with one out.

Oregon State answered with two in the bottom of the sixth to make it 9-1. The first came on an RBI double down the left-field line, and the second run, with freshman right-hander Madison Jeffrey in for Kurtzhals, came on a bases-loaded walk.

In 3.2 innings pitched, Kurtzhals allowed two runs on one hit with a strikeout and a walk.

Junior right-hander Dillon Meadows stranded the bases loaded in the seventh inning thanks to a pop-up to end the inning after back-to-back walks.

Gonzalez's home run came with one out in the eighth inning, and Meadows followed with a 1-2-3 eighth inning, with two strikeouts.

Senior third baseman Andrew Zitel walked to lead off the ninth, but a double play helped OSU face the minimum in the inning to end the game.

The series continues on Saturday at 4:35 p.m. ET/1:35 p.m. PT, and first pitch of Sunday's finale is set for 4:05 p.m. ET/1:05 p.m. PT. Both games will be streamed live for free on Pac-12.com/Live, radio broadcasts will be available on OSUBeavers.com/Watch, and live stats can be found at OregonState.Statebroadcast.com. Direct links are available 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.

Notes: West Virginia falls to 5-4 on the season and 3-4 on the road … WVU is 0-1 against top-25 teams this season … Ivan Gonzalez hit his second home run of the season and eighth of his career in the eighth inning.

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.

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