GRANVILLE, W.Va. — West Virginia had not played this week before Friday’s series opener against Baylor, and the Mountaineers lost their three most recent contests last weekend at Texas Tech.
So when the Bears got a leadoff home run from the game’s first batter, Enzo Apodaca, as part of a two-run first inning, an already strong sense of urgency became even greater for the Mountaineers.
West Virginia responded early in the form of each of its first four batters producing a hit, and the Mountaineers went on to score four runs in their first trip to the plate as part of a season-high run total in an 18-5 victory before a crowd of 3,712 at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
“Not just crucial to get four, but get four because they got two. That team can really hit,” WVU head coach Randy Mazey said. “If we don’t score four there and they play with a lead throughout that game and start bringing some guys out of the pen to hold a lead, that’s a whole different game. Four in the first off a guy who’s been pitching really well for them was really important.”
West Virginia (24-16, 12-7) elected to start pitcher Hayden Cooper in a Friday night spot that had previously belonged to Aidan Major.
“We prepared him as a reliever and he’s done so well as a starter, but the 100 pitch games and 120 pitch games early on, it’s hard for a reliever to do that without needing a rest at some point,” Mazey said of Major. “We’ve been waiting all season to give him an opportunity to rest a little bit and from Friday to Sunday would be nine days, which is exactly what he needed. He’ll start on Sunday.”
Cooper was shaky early, allowing the Apodaca home run to right field and a second run on a single from Daniel Altman — the game’s fourth batter.
It hardly mattered.
Each of the Mountaineers’ first four batters — JJ Wetherholt, Logan Sauve, Sam White and Reed Chumley — accounted for a single, with White driving in the first run and Chumley the next two to put WVU on top for good. Grant Hussey’s sacrifice fly brought in Chumley for the fourth run of the opening frame as the Mountaineers got to Baylor starting pitcher Mason Marriott early.
After Cooper worked a scoreless second, the Mountaineers garnered complete control of the game.
Benjamin Lumsden drew a base-on-balls to start the home half of the second, and after Skylar King was hit by a pitch, Wetherholt belted a three-run home run to center field. It was Wetherholt’s third home run in what marked his 16th game.
“That was his best game of the year from a swing standpoint,” Mazey said. “Solid contact both sides of the field — middle of the field, pull side. His rhythm was good and his timing was good. Maybe since he’s playing short he feels like a complete player now. Who knows, but that was really good to see him back. He and Sauve their first two times up were 4-for-4 between the two of them. That’s what the top of the lineup is supposed to do.”
Leading 7-2, West Virginia continued to take it to the Bears (19-21, 9-10) and added an additional three runs that inning on Kyle West’s RBI single and a Grant Hussey triple, with Hussey coming around to score on that play courtesy of one of four Baylor errors.
Marriott recorded only five outs and allowed nine runs, eight of which were earned, on seven hits and a walk. He was removed in favor of Mason Green, and the Bears got to within six when Zach Mazoch laced a two-out, two-run single in the third. After Cole Posey drew a walk, Cooper, who lasted 2 2/3 innings, was replaced at pitcher by Tyler Switalski.
WVU came to bat in the third leading 10-4 and matched Baylor’s two runs that inning courtesy of Wetherholt and Sauve each accounting for a sacrifice fly. The Bears again hurt their cause that inning with an error.
West, a University of Charleston transfer in his first season at WVU, blasted his 10th home run this season with one out in the fourth to make it 13-4.
“We hve confidence no matter who’s at the plate now. Anyone can do damage at any given second,” West said. “No matter who’s at the dish, confident they’re going to get the job done, and at this rate, exponentially.“
Chumley’s bases clearing triple in the seventh highlighted a five-run frame and marked the final scoring play of the night.
Apodaca and Altman had two hits apiece to combine for half of the Bears’ hit total. Marriott fell to 3-4 with the loss.
West Virginia made the most of its 12 hits and stranded only three baserunners.
Chumley led all players with five RBI, while Wetherholt drove in four runs and scored twice while finishing 2-for-3.
“You can tell when he’s locked into the middle of the field. That’s the result you get,” Mazey said of Wetherholt. “When he gets a little pull happy, he starts pulling off balls and you see some ground balls on the right side. But when he’s locked in on the middle of the field is when he’s at his best.”
Switalski was credited with the win and improved to 2-2 after allowing one run on two hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six and issued one walk.
“You just have to make sure you keep your mindset right, stay aggressive and stay within yourself,” Switalski said. “Don’t let the moment get too big. Go out there and throw strikes and let your stuff play. You work on it every single day.”
