West Virginia
Mountaineers score early and often against Baylor, produce season-high run total in 18-5 victory – WV MetroNews
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.”
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history, compiled by the West Virginia Humanities Council from its online encyclopedia, e-WV.
April 19, 1896: Writer Melville Davisson Post was born in Harrison County. His best-known works are the Randolph Mason series, published in three volumes, and the more successful collection Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries.
April 19, 1902: Author Jean Lee Latham was born in Buckhannon. She wrote a number of children’s books, including Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, which won the 1956 Newbery Award.
April 20, 1823: Gen. Jesse Lee Reno was born in Wheeling. He graduated from West Point in 1846 with another cadet from western Virginia, Thomas J. Jackson, later known as “Stonewall.” Reno was the highest-ranking officer from present West Virginia killed in the Civil War.
April 20, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that in 60 days, West Virginia would become a state. The occasion was marked 100 years later during the state’s Centennial celebration with a special ceremonial session of the West Virginia Legislature on April 20, 1963, in Wheeling.
April 20, 1909: Fiddler Melvin Wine was born near Burnsville in Braxton County. A favorite of old-time music enthusiasts nationally, he was chosen as a National Heritage Fellow in 1991 by the National Endowment for the Arts — the highest recognition given to a folk artist in the United States.
April 20, 1939: Poet Irene McKinney was born in Belington, Barbour County. Gov. Gaston Caperton appointed her state poet laureate in 1993, and she served in that capacity until her death in 2012.
April 21, 1908: Musician Phoeba Cottrell Parsons was born in Calhoun County. Parsons’ traditional clawhammer banjo style, unaccompanied ballad singing, riddles and storytelling have influenced countless younger musicians.
April 21, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt established the Jefferson National Forest. The West Virginia portion of the forest includes about 19,000 acres in Monroe County.
April 22, 1908: Marshall “Little Sleepy” Glenn was born in Elkins. Glenn coached basketball at West Virginia University from 1934 to 1938 and football from 1937 to 1940. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
April 22, 1948: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician Larry Groce was born in Dallas, Texas. He is best known as the longtime host and artistic director of the Mountain Stage radio program.
April 22, 2003: Activist Judy Bonds, a Raleigh County native, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her fight against mountaintop removal mining. Her efforts inspired thousands and turned a local West Virginia issue into a national cause.
April 23, 1857: Andrew S. Rowan was born in Gap Mills, Monroe County. Rowan, a military officer, was chosen as the messenger when President William McKinley wanted to send a message to Cuban Gen. Calixto Garcia during the Spanish-American War. The 1899 pamphlet A Message to Garcia made the incident famous.
April 24, 1865: McNeill’s Rangers surrendered to Union troops at New Creek — now Keyser. The Confederate guerrilla force probably never numbered more than 100 men at any time but managed to inflict regular damage on Union operations.
April 25, 1863: In what became known as the Jones-Imboden Raid, about 1,500 Confederate soldiers under Gen. William “Grumble” Jones advanced through Greenland Gap, a deep pass through New Creek Mountain in present Grant County. The Confederates encountered 87 Union soldiers who held off several assaults before finally surrendering.
April 25, 1923: Union leader Arnold Ray Miller was born at Leewood on Cabin Creek in Kanawha County. In December 1972, he defeated Tony Boyle to become president of the United Mine Workers and served until 1979.
e-WV is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the council at 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301, call 304-346-8500 or visit wvencyclopedia.org.
During the Gold-Blue spring game on Saturday, the West Virginia coaching staff named wide receiver Cyrus Traught the recipient of the 2026 Tommy Nikolich Award.
The award, which is always given out at the end of spring ball, recognizes a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic. The award is presented in memory of Tommy Nickolich, a former WVU player (1980-82) who passed away from cancer in 1983.
Traugh is a Parkersburg native and graduate of Parkersburg South High School. He began his career at Youngstown State before transferring back home to play for the Mountaineers last season. In his final year with the Penguins, he logged 36 receptions, 409 yards, and a team-leading five touchdowns, two of which came against Pitt.
During the 2025 campaign with the Mountaineers, he saw action against Robert Morris and Kansas, playing 10 snaps against the Jayhawks, but did not record any stats.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has mentioned him twice this spring as someone who has been doing some good things and making progress. Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett also showed him some love during his press conference last week.
The Mountaineers completely revamped the wide receiver room this offseason, upping the level of talent at both inside and outside receiver spots, but perhaps Traugh can work his way into the mix if he puts together a strong summer and fall camp. If he’s not a regular in the rotation, he’ll serve as a quality depth piece who can play special teams.
Past Nickolich Award winners:
2025: Clay Ash, RB
2024: Avery Wilcox, S
2023: C.J. Cole, WR
2022: Nick Malone, OL
2021: Graeson Malashevich, WR/H
2020: Osman Kamara, S
2019: Jake Abbott, LB
2018: Evan Staley, K
2017: Nick Meadows, LS
2016: Jon Lewis, DL
2015: Justin Arndt, LB
2014: Michael Calicchio, OL
2013: Connor Arlia, WR
2012: Tyler Anderson, DE
2011: Ryan Nehlen, WR
2010: Matt Lindamood, FB
2009: Josh Taylor, DL
2008: Adam Hughes, LS
2007: Andy Emery, LB
2006: Tim Lindsey, LS
2005: George Shehl, H/DB
2004: Jeff Noechel, LB
2003: John Pennington, WR
2002: Moe Fofana, RB
2001: Jeremy Knapp, TE
2000: Ben Collins, LB
1999: Bryan Lorenz, LB
1998: Mark Corman, TE
1997: David Lightcap, DB
1996: Matt Ceresa, OL
1995: Rob Keys, DB
1994: Randy Fulmore, DB
1993: Matt McCulty, WR
1992: Brett Parise, WR, Ray Wilcox, LB
1991: Keith Taparausky, RB
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