Tuesday, April 30
Morgantown, W.Va.
6:30 p.m.
West Virginia University
vs
Marshall
Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
No. 17 West Virginia Hosts In-State Foe Marshall
April 29, 2019 04:44 PM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 17 West Virginia University baseball team begins a week at home with the season's second meeting against Marshall on Tuesday, April 30, at 6:30 p.m. ET, at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Tickets for the in-state matchup 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.
The first 500 fans to Tuesday's game will receive a foam finger, courtesy of WVU Medicine, and all fans can play Baseball Bingo to win prizes. It is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, where WVU employees can purchase tickets for $3 at the gate by showing their employee I.D.
The Mountaineers (26-15) are coming off a weekend series win at Texas, their fifth consecutive Big 12 series victory. WVU, which is in the top 25 in each major poll and as high as No. 17 in two polls, has won 12 of its last 16 games.
The Thundering Herd (23-20) come to Morgantown having lost five of their last six games after a series loss at UAB.
Following a 15-3 victory in Charleston on March 27, WVU has won six in a row against MU and eight of the last nine meetings. Since 1993, West Virginia has won 17 of the last 20 in the in-state series. WVU leads the all-time series, 47-24, which began in 1910.
Statistically, West Virginia's pitching staff is No. 10 nationally with 7.27 hits allowed per nine innings, No. 14 with 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings, No. 19 with a 3.41 ERA and No. 27 with a 1.28 WHIP. The Mountaineers also lead the Big 12 and are No. 25 in the NCAA with 78 stolen bases.
Individually, junior right-hander Alek Manoah is No. 6 nationally in strikeouts (103), No. 8 in WHIP (0.85), No. 20 in ERA (1.76), No. 26 in hits allowed per nine innings (5.63) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.06) and No. 31 in strikeouts per nine innings (12.09). Junior center fielder Brandon White is second in the Big 12 with 20 stolen bases, while junior right-hander Sam Kessler is third in saves (7), sophomore second baseman Tyler Doanes is third in stolen bases (16) and freshman shortstop Tevin Tucker is third in sacrifice bunts (7).
FOLLOWING ALONG
There are a number of ways to follow along with Tuesday's action, with Dan Zangrilli and Ernie Galusky on the call.
MOUNTAINEERS RANKED FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK
For the third consecutive week, WVU is in the national rankings and appears in all six major polls.
SCOUTING MARSHALL
Marshall is 23-20 on the season and 7-9 on the road. The Thundering Herd are coming off a series loss at UAB, though a 15-10 victory on Saturday snapped a four-game losing streak.
Shane Hanon leads the team with a .375 batting average in 88 at-bats, while Tucker Linder paces the squad with 62 hits and 38 RBIs. Michael Guerrero owns a 1.90 ERA and four saves in 23.2 innings of relief.
Jeff Waggoner is in his 13th season at the helm at MU and owns a 315-409-1 record. He was named the 2016 Conference USA Coach of the Year after leading the Thundering Herd to a program-record 34 wins.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE THUNDERING HERD
West Virginia is 47-24 all-time against Marshall and 30-8 at home in a series that began in 1910. The Mountaineers have won six in a row in the series and swept the season series in 2016 and again in 2017, the first series sweeps for either team since 1997.
On March 27, West Virginia notched a 15-3 victory at Marshall in Charleston. WVU scored in each of the first four innings, highlighted by a nine-run third, to lead 13-0 in the middle of the fourth. The offense was aided by 11 walks, including four with the bases loaded, and all but one starter had a hit and seven drove in at least one run.
Sophomore designated hitter Paul McIntosh led the team with three hits and three RBIs, with a third-inning home run. On the mound, junior left-hander Nick Snyder collected the win. 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.
LAST TIME OUT: FIFTH CONSECUTIVE BIG 12 SERIES WIN
WVU won its fifth consecutive series with a pair of come-from-behind victories at Texas, from April 26-28, as the Mountaineers outscored the Longhorns 6-1 in the final two innings in the first two games of the series.
ON DECK: MOUNTAINEERS HOST TCU
West Virginia hosts its final home Big 12 series against TCU from May 3-5. The series begins on Friday, May 30, at 6:30 p.m. ET, and continues on Saturday, at 4 p.m. The finale is set for Sunday, at 1 p.m. Saturday's contest will air regionally on AT&T SportsNet. 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. Friday is Friday Night Happy Hour, with half-off beverages available from 5:30-6:30 p.m., and all fans can participate in Trivia Night and play Baseball Bingo. Saturday is the final Family Day of the season, where fans can purchase four tickets and receive a $10 concession voucher for just $25. There will be a bobblehead giveaway to the first 500 fans to Saturday's game, courtesy of United Bank. Saturday also is Alumni Day. Sunday is the final trading card giveaway, courtesy of United Bank, to the first 250 kids, 16 and under. Sunday also is the final Kids Day of the year, presented by WVU Medicine, which features a Kids Zone, inflatables and Mr. Twister's Balloon Art and Face Painting, and kids can run the bases after the game. Additionally, Sunday is Cinco De Mayo at the Ballpark, with free necklaces and shakers to the first 500 fans and $2.50 walking tacos.
Single game tickets and flex plan 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.
Tickets for the in-state matchup 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.
The first 500 fans to Tuesday's game will receive a foam finger, courtesy of WVU Medicine, and all fans can play Baseball Bingo to win prizes. It is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, where WVU employees can purchase tickets for $3 at the gate by showing their employee I.D.
The Mountaineers (26-15) are coming off a weekend series win at Texas, their fifth consecutive Big 12 series victory. WVU, which is in the top 25 in each major poll and as high as No. 17 in two polls, has won 12 of its last 16 games.
The Thundering Herd (23-20) come to Morgantown having lost five of their last six games after a series loss at UAB.
Following a 15-3 victory in Charleston on March 27, WVU has won six in a row against MU and eight of the last nine meetings. Since 1993, West Virginia has won 17 of the last 20 in the in-state series. WVU leads the all-time series, 47-24, which began in 1910.
Statistically, West Virginia's pitching staff is No. 10 nationally with 7.27 hits allowed per nine innings, No. 14 with 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings, No. 19 with a 3.41 ERA and No. 27 with a 1.28 WHIP. The Mountaineers also lead the Big 12 and are No. 25 in the NCAA with 78 stolen bases.
Individually, junior right-hander Alek Manoah is No. 6 nationally in strikeouts (103), No. 8 in WHIP (0.85), No. 20 in ERA (1.76), No. 26 in hits allowed per nine innings (5.63) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.06) and No. 31 in strikeouts per nine innings (12.09). Junior center fielder Brandon White is second in the Big 12 with 20 stolen bases, while junior right-hander Sam Kessler is third in saves (7), sophomore second baseman Tyler Doanes is third in stolen bases (16) and freshman shortstop Tevin Tucker is third in sacrifice bunts (7).
FOLLOWING ALONG
There are a number of ways to follow along with Tuesday's action, with Dan Zangrilli and Ernie Galusky on the call.
- The game will be streamed live for free on WVUsports.com/Watch and the WVU Gameday App, while fans also can watch the stream live via Roku and Apple TV by searching for the "West Virginia Mountaineers" channel.
- Fans can listen to the game on the Mountaineer Sports Network from Learfield IMG College on various affiliates throughout the state, while fans across the country can tune into the broadcast online at WVUsports.com/Watch and on the WVU Gameday and TuneIn Radio Apps.
- Live stats can be found at WVUsports.com/Stats.
- Direct links to video and radio streams and live stats 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.
MOUNTAINEERS RANKED FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK
For the third consecutive week, WVU is in the national rankings and appears in all six major polls.
- The Mountaineers check in at No. 17 in this week's D1Baseball and Baseball America top 25. WVU also moves up to No. 18 in the Perfect Game poll and No. 19 in the NCBWA rankings and is No. 20 in the Coaches Poll and No. 28 in the Collegiate Baseball rankings.
- West Virginia's No. 17 ranking is its highest since 1982, when the Mountaineers finished the 1982 season No. 16 in the final Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll. WVU is ranked in three consecutive weeks for the first time in seventh-year coach Randy Mazey's tenure.
- The Mountaineers' appearance in this week's polls is the sixth time they have been ranked since 1982, with all six appearances, three times in 2019, twice in 2017 and once in 2018, coming under Mazey.
- WVU is one of four Big 12 Conference teams ranked in at least one national poll this week.
SCOUTING MARSHALL
Marshall is 23-20 on the season and 7-9 on the road. The Thundering Herd are coming off a series loss at UAB, though a 15-10 victory on Saturday snapped a four-game losing streak.
Shane Hanon leads the team with a .375 batting average in 88 at-bats, while Tucker Linder paces the squad with 62 hits and 38 RBIs. Michael Guerrero owns a 1.90 ERA and four saves in 23.2 innings of relief.
Jeff Waggoner is in his 13th season at the helm at MU and owns a 315-409-1 record. He was named the 2016 Conference USA Coach of the Year after leading the Thundering Herd to a program-record 34 wins.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE THUNDERING HERD
West Virginia is 47-24 all-time against Marshall and 30-8 at home in a series that began in 1910. The Mountaineers have won six in a row in the series and swept the season series in 2016 and again in 2017, the first series sweeps for either team since 1997.
On March 27, West Virginia notched a 15-3 victory at Marshall in Charleston. WVU scored in each of the first four innings, highlighted by a nine-run third, to lead 13-0 in the middle of the fourth. The offense was aided by 11 walks, including four with the bases loaded, and all but one starter had a hit and seven drove in at least one run.
Sophomore designated hitter Paul McIntosh led the team with three hits and three RBIs, with a third-inning home run. On the mound, junior left-hander Nick Snyder collected the win. 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.
LAST TIME OUT: FIFTH CONSECUTIVE BIG 12 SERIES WIN
WVU won its fifth consecutive series with a pair of come-from-behind victories at Texas, from April 26-28, as the Mountaineers outscored the Longhorns 6-1 in the final two innings in the first two games of the series.
- Two late home runs and another quality start by Manoah powered West Virginia to a 3-2, comeback win to open the series on April 26. The Mountaineers were held hitless for 6.2 innings before junior pinch hitter TJ Lake hit a go-ahead home run with two outs in the eighth inning to take a 2-1 lead. After the Longhorns rallied to tie it at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth, junior first baseman Marques Inman launched a mammoth home run in the top of the ninth to regain a 3-2 advantage. UT's only run off of Manoah came in the third.
- West Virginia clinched the series with a 9-8 win on April 27, thanks to a run in the eighth inning and two in the ninth after trailing 8-6. Six of WVU's nine runs, including its first five, were all unearned. The Mountaineers trailed 8-7 in the ninth, but Inman doubled home the tying run, and after a balk put freshman pinch runner Austin Davis on third, Lake executed a safety squeeze to score Davis, the go-ahead run. Texas took an 8-6 lead in the seventh, but senior lefty Zach Reid came in and allowed just one hit in 1.2 innings to earn the win, as he got the final two outs of the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth.
- WVU lost the finale on April 28, 10-2, as Texas avoided the sweep. West Virginia scored first for the first time in the series, but UT responded to lead 3-1 after three. The Mountaineers cut the deficit to one in the top of the fourth, but Texas scored seven unanswered, with three in the bottom of the fourth and four in the sixth. Lake led the squad with two hits and an RBI.
ON DECK: MOUNTAINEERS HOST TCU
West Virginia hosts its final home Big 12 series against TCU from May 3-5. The series begins on Friday, May 30, at 6:30 p.m. ET, and continues on Saturday, at 4 p.m. The finale is set for Sunday, at 1 p.m. Saturday's contest will air regionally on AT&T SportsNet. 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. Friday is Friday Night Happy Hour, with half-off beverages available from 5:30-6:30 p.m., and all fans can participate in Trivia Night and play Baseball Bingo. Saturday is the final Family Day of the season, where fans can purchase four tickets and receive a $10 concession voucher for just $25. There will be a bobblehead giveaway to the first 500 fans to Saturday's game, courtesy of United Bank. Saturday also is Alumni Day. Sunday is the final trading card giveaway, courtesy of United Bank, to the first 250 kids, 16 and under. Sunday also is the final Kids Day of the year, presented by WVU Medicine, which features a Kids Zone, inflatables and Mr. Twister's Balloon Art and Face Painting, and kids can run the bases after the game. Additionally, Sunday is Cinco De Mayo at the Ballpark, with free necklaces and shakers to the first 500 fans and $2.50 walking tacos.
Single game tickets and flex plan 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.
Players Mentioned
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