MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – No. 20 ranked West Virginia defeated BYU 7-4 Thursday in game one of a three-game Big 12 baseball series at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
WVU (14-4) scored seven runs on nine hits while stranding 10. BYU (10-10) plated four runs on five hits while leaving five on base.
Highlights
– Easton Jones: 2-4, 2HR, 3RBI
– Ridge Erickson: 1-4, HR, RBI
– Ezra McNaughton: 1-3, BB
Summary
West Viginia jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs on a walk and four hits in the bottom of the second inning for a 4-0 advantage.
Following two scoreless innings, BYU got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth with a two-out solo home run by catcher Ridge Erickson to cut the lead to 4-1.
The Mountaineers pushed the lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth on a couple of singles and a home run by second baseman Gavin Kelly.
BYU third baseman Easton Jones homered in the top of the seventh to cut the WVU lead to 7-2, while Cougar relief pitchers Nate Wochner and Brock Snow combined to hold WVU scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings.
Jones made it interesting in the top of the ninth with a two-run, 423-foot blast over the centerfield wall that scored Bryker Hurdsman who had reached on walk. Keoni Painter then singled with one out, but WVU closer David Perez came out of the bullpen to strike out the next two batters to earn the save.
UP NEXT. West Virginia and BYU will play game two of the series on Friday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and will also be available on BYUradio.org and on the BYU Radio app.