Box Score FORT WORTH, Texas – The West Virginia University baseball team closed its three-game series at No. 10 TCU with a 5-2 win on Sunday afternoon at Lupton Stadium.
 
The victory secured the Big 12 Conference-opening series for the Mountaineers. It also marked WVU's first-ever series win at TCU and the first time it won a series over at a top-10-ranked opponent on the road since March 17-19, 2017, at then-No. 10 Baylor.
 
The Mountaineers (16-10, 2-1 Big 12) led, 4-0, at one point and were able to close out the contest with solid work on the mound. Fifth-year senior right-handed pitcher Zach Bravo earned the win, bumping his record to 3-0 on the year, while fifth-year senior right-hander Trey Braithwaite tallied his second save of the year after firing the final 3.2 innings of the game.
 
"I've been telling the team all season that if we can get good pitching, then we're going to win a lot of games," WVU coach Randy Mazey said. "We came down here and all three of our starters went at least five innings and gave us leads. That's how we're going to win."
 
For the second consecutive day, the Mountaineers struck in the first inning to take an early lead. Junior outfielder Victor Scott II and sophomore catcher McGwire Holbrook each registered RBI singles to give WVU the 2-0 advantage.
 
After Bravo started his day by pitching three, clean innings for West Virginia on the mound, the squad added to its lead in the top of the fourth. First, sophomore infielder Mikey Kluska hit an RBI single, before redshirt junior infielder Tevin Tucker tallied a two-run double off the wall in left center to give the Mountaineers a 5-0 lead.
 
Of note, all three of WVU's fourth-inning runs came with two outs.
 
TCU (19-9, 6-3 Big 12) got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the deficit to 5-1. The hosts added one more in the sixth to make it a three-run game.
 
Bravo's final line showed two runs allowed (one earned) on four hits with two strikeouts and three walks in 5.0 innings. The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native was removed one batter into the sixth, before fifth-year senior right-hander Chase Smith and Braithwaite finished the frame.
 
Braithwaite marched back to the hill for the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, sending the Frogs down in order in all three frames. In all, he struck out three without allowing a hit, retiring all 11 batters he faced on the day.
 
The Mountaineers finished with nine hits in the victory, one from each member of the starting lineup. Tucker's two RBI led the way in production at the plate.
 
Next up, West Virginia returns home to take on in-state foe Marshall on Wednesday, April 6, in Morgantown. First pitch at Wagener Field at Monongalia County Ballpark is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.

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