Box Score CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A nine-run third inning helped lead the West Virginia University baseball team to a 15-3 victory at Marshall on Wednesday night at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, West Virginia.
 
The Mountaineers (14-10) have won six in a row and eight of the last nine meetings against the Thundering Herd (15-9). West Virginia has won 17 of 20 in the in-state series since 1993 and extends its lead in the all-time series to 47-24.
 
WVU's season-high 15 runs came on 12 hits, while Marshall was held to three runs on three hits. West Virginia scored in each of the first four innings to lead 13-0 in the middle of the fourth. The Mountaineer offense was aided by 11 walks, including four with the bases loaded. All but one starter had a hit and seven drove in at least one run.
 
"I said going into it, we're going to find out what we're made of now, after you lose three games on the weekend, come out and play your in-state rival," WVU coach Randy Mazey said. "That just makes you feel good about your team, to come out and play like that."
 
Sophomore designated hitter Paul McIntosh led the team with a season-high-tying three hits and three RBIs with two runs scored. He hit his team-best sixth home run of the season in the third inning. Senior catcher Ivan Gonzalez added two hits and two RBIs, both on bases-loaded walks, with three runs scored and three total walks.
 
On the mound, junior left-hander Nick Snyder collected his team-leading fourth win of the season to improve to 4-1. In 4.0 innings, he allowed one unearned run on two hits with seven strikeouts and five walks. Snyder was followed by five relievers who combined to hold the Thundering Herd to two runs, one earned, on one hit with eight strikeouts and one walk in the final 5.0 innings.
 
West Virginia took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, as McIntosh doubled home Gonzalez. It marked the 18th time WVU scored first and the 12th time the Mountaineers scored in the first inning.
 
WVU made it 2-0 in the second, as Gonzalez drew a bases-loaded walk. The walk was the fourth consecutive issued to WVU with two outs, as Gonzalez's free pass scored freshman shortstop Tevin Tucker.
 
Snyder struck out three in the first inning after a leadoff walk, and added two more in the second to leave a pair on base.
 
The Mountaineers blew it open in the third inning, with nine runs on five hits with the help of two errors to extend the advantage to 11-0. McIntosh reached on an error to lead off the inning, a walk put two on and a wild pitch put runners on second and third for senior third baseman Andrew Zitel, who singled home McIntosh. Junior left fielder TJ Lake then fouled out down the left-field line, which allowed the second run to score.
 
With Zitel on third, Tucker scored him on a suicide squeeze, and he reached safely thanks to a throwing error. A single put two on for sophomore second baseman Tyler Doanes, who lined a hard-hit double down the left-field line to score Tucker. A wild pitch added another run, and a walk put two on for senior right fielder Darius Hill, who made it 9-0 on a double to right-center. McIntosh capped the inning with a towering two-run home run to right field, which scored Hill.
 
West Virginia added two more in the fourth inning to make it a 13-0 ballgame. Gonzalez drew his second bases-loaded walk of the game to score the first run, and Hill reached on a fielder's choice to score freshman center fielder Austin Davis.
 
The Herd got on the board thanks to a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning, which made it 13-1. However, Snyder got a strikeout to end the inning, his seventh and final of the night, to leave the bases loaded.
 
Junior right-hander Dillon Meadows threw a perfect fifth inning, with two strikeouts, and freshman righty Madison Jeffrey tossed a scoreless sixth and got a double play to end the inning and leave two on.
 
Two bases-loaded walks gave West Virginia two more runs in the seventh, to make it a 15-1 contest. Zitel drew the first walk, with one out, and Tucker earned the second, with two outs.
 
Marshall scored one in the seventh, on a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it 15-2, and a wild pitch made it 15-3 in the bottom of the eighth. The seventh-inning run, off senior lefty Zach Reid, was unearned.
 
Freshman right-hander Zach Ottinger struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to seal the win.
 
West Virginia returns home to host Oklahoma this weekend, from March 29-31, at Monongalia County Ballpark. The series begins on Friday, at 6:30 p.m., while Saturday's first pitch is set for 4 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m. 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.
 
Notes: West Virginia improved to 14-10 on the season and 8-10 on the road … WVU is 47-24 all-time against Marshall and 13-16 on the road … The Mountaineers have won six in a row against the Thundering Herd, eight of the last nine and 17 of 20 since 1993 … West Virginia improved to 13-5 when scoring first and 7-5 when scoring in the first inning … Nick Snyder (4-1) earned his team-leading fourth win of the season … In 4.0 innings, he struck out seven and allowed one unearned run on two hits with five walks … Paul McIntosh hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season in the third 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.
 
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