Lubbock, Texas – On Sunday afternoon, the No. 18 West Virginia Mountaineers (23-15, 11-6) defeated the Texas Tech Red Raiders (28-13, 11-9) 6-4 in the first game of a doubleheader. We lost and lost the battle. WVU ends the series.
Texas Tech scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning on singles by junior Cade McGee and sophomore Damien Bravo and an RBI single by sophomore Dylan Maxey. Then, with two outs, junior Gavin Kash hit a two-run double down the third base line, giving the Red Raiders a 3-0 lead.
In the fourth, sophomore Sam White had the Mountaineers' second hit of the afternoon, and after senior Reed Chumley issued a walk to put White in scoring position, junior Kyle West hit the field in left field. He hit a line drive down the line, but the Texas Tech ball boy hit it. The ball hit into the corner that stopped the runner on third base with a two-run double was ruled an RBI double under ground rules, reducing the lead to two points at 3-1.
West Virginia started in the fifth inning when Texas Tech freshman starting pitcher Mack Hoyer gave up two walks, sophomore Logan Swarve singled into the left field seats, and then Hoyer walked the Mountaineer. The difference was close to 1 point.
In the 6th inning, Cade McGee hit the first pitch into the frame for a home run, and Kash doubled to right-center field to extend the lead to 5-2.
In the 8th inning, freshman Michael Perazza hit a double with two outs as a pinch hitter, and after sophomore Benjamin Ramsden drew a pinch-hit walk, J.J. Weatherholt hit a one-hop hit into the right-field wall. He hit a two-run double, bringing the game back to one point. center field.
West Virginia senior relief pitcher Hambleton Oliver allowed Kash a double, but after walking two Texas Tech batters and loading the bases, West Virginia head coach Randy Maisey He was replaced by left-handed pitcher Joseph Fredericks, who walked four pitches and gave the Red Raiders one run. Run. Sophomore Robbie Porco took the mound and got the Mountaineers out of trouble, holding them to just two points at 6-4.
The Mountaineers had the bases loaded with outs in the 9th inning, but were unable to get any runners on, and lost the second game by a final decision of 6-4.
West Virginia will look to salvage the series in Game 2 of a doubleheader starting at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET, which will be streamed on ESPN+.
