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Apr. 19—MORGANTOWN — West Virginia swept another team amidst the now 14-game win streak.
A 13-hit Saturday afternoon lifted the No. 24 Mountaineers over Cincinnati 10-5, completing their seventh sweep of the season.
The Mountaineers had eight different batters register a hit. Five hitters, including senior Jace Rhinehart and junior Logan Sauve, had two hits. One of Sauve's two hits was a 390-foot homer he skyed to left field for his second in two days. Redshirt junior Chase Swain and sophomore Spencer Barnett led with three RBIs apiece.
"The offense, for the first time in maybe 10 days, really started getting going, where we put somebody away, " head coach Steve Sabins said. "We eventually got to their starter, and from there, we rolled pretty good."
Sauve said the team was more selective Saturday than in the past couple of games.
"We kind of got the bats rolling and a lot of things clicked at the right time, " Sauve said. "We had some key hits at key times, and we were able to squeeze two four spots up, which was big."
WVU's series sweep kept it first in the Big 12 with a record of 13-3 and 34-4 on the season. The Bearcats lost their fourth-straight game, falling to an overall record of 21-18 and 8-10 in conference.
The bats took a little to get going, but like Friday, the hits and runs came in bunches in the bottom of the fourth. West Virginia's first hit of the game was a leadoff double from Sauve, followed by a single from senior Kyle West. Junior Sam White had a single of his own, tying up the score 1-1.
The Mountaineers weren't done there. Swain, who had an RBI earlier in this series, rocketed a standup double, scoring West and White safely. Second baseman Barnett rounded out the inning, scoring Swain on a grounder to the first baseman. Like that, the Mountaineers were in the driver's seat up 4-1.
After the fourth, the floodgates opened for one of the best offenses in the Big 12. Head coach Steve Sabins said the bats had been a bit clunky, but Friday and Saturday, they were dialed in.
Rhinehart continued to crush the ball. He had another RBI single to center, keeping the runs going in the bottom of the fifth. Rhinehart finished with seven hits, five RBIs, and a homer in the series.
Rhinehart's single started another big inning for the Mountaineers. The bottom of the fifth mirrored the fourth, adding four more runs and hits to the total, threatening a mercy rule up 8-1.
The bats made a lot of noise, but the starting pitching shone again. Sabins couldn't have asked for a better start from Jack Kartsonas. He had no earned runs, seven strikeouts, one hit, and three walks over six innings. The only run scored on him was after shortstop Brodie Kresser made an error in the field with two outs that eventually resulted in a run.
Kartsonas said his sinker was working Saturday, and he's relied on it over his last two starts.
"I'm throwing it really well where I want to, " Kartsonas said. "That's been huge for me. Getting ahead of guys and staying ahead on the attack."
The bullpen didn't carry over the high level of pitching. Kartsonas was relieved by freshman Benjamin Hudson. Hudson only lasted an inning. A combination of freshman Mac Stiffler and junior Ben McDougal came in to close it out, and they breathed a little life into the Bearcats at the top of the eighth. The two let up four runs on just one out, making the score look closer than at 10-5.
Tyler Hutson came in to shut things down and didn't allow a run in the final two innings, having three strikeouts against five batters.
Cincinnati stayed alive late in the game to avoid the mercy rule, but it wasn't enough to avoid the series sweep.
"Good week, " Sabins said. "Look forward to having a little time off. I know the guys really do."
Continue reading...
A 13-hit Saturday afternoon lifted the No. 24 Mountaineers over Cincinnati 10-5, completing their seventh sweep of the season.
The Mountaineers had eight different batters register a hit. Five hitters, including senior Jace Rhinehart and junior Logan Sauve, had two hits. One of Sauve's two hits was a 390-foot homer he skyed to left field for his second in two days. Redshirt junior Chase Swain and sophomore Spencer Barnett led with three RBIs apiece.
"The offense, for the first time in maybe 10 days, really started getting going, where we put somebody away, " head coach Steve Sabins said. "We eventually got to their starter, and from there, we rolled pretty good."
Sauve said the team was more selective Saturday than in the past couple of games.
"We kind of got the bats rolling and a lot of things clicked at the right time, " Sauve said. "We had some key hits at key times, and we were able to squeeze two four spots up, which was big."
WVU's series sweep kept it first in the Big 12 with a record of 13-3 and 34-4 on the season. The Bearcats lost their fourth-straight game, falling to an overall record of 21-18 and 8-10 in conference.
The bats took a little to get going, but like Friday, the hits and runs came in bunches in the bottom of the fourth. West Virginia's first hit of the game was a leadoff double from Sauve, followed by a single from senior Kyle West. Junior Sam White had a single of his own, tying up the score 1-1.
The Mountaineers weren't done there. Swain, who had an RBI earlier in this series, rocketed a standup double, scoring West and White safely. Second baseman Barnett rounded out the inning, scoring Swain on a grounder to the first baseman. Like that, the Mountaineers were in the driver's seat up 4-1.
After the fourth, the floodgates opened for one of the best offenses in the Big 12. Head coach Steve Sabins said the bats had been a bit clunky, but Friday and Saturday, they were dialed in.
Rhinehart continued to crush the ball. He had another RBI single to center, keeping the runs going in the bottom of the fifth. Rhinehart finished with seven hits, five RBIs, and a homer in the series.
Rhinehart's single started another big inning for the Mountaineers. The bottom of the fifth mirrored the fourth, adding four more runs and hits to the total, threatening a mercy rule up 8-1.
The bats made a lot of noise, but the starting pitching shone again. Sabins couldn't have asked for a better start from Jack Kartsonas. He had no earned runs, seven strikeouts, one hit, and three walks over six innings. The only run scored on him was after shortstop Brodie Kresser made an error in the field with two outs that eventually resulted in a run.
Kartsonas said his sinker was working Saturday, and he's relied on it over his last two starts.
"I'm throwing it really well where I want to, " Kartsonas said. "That's been huge for me. Getting ahead of guys and staying ahead on the attack."
The bullpen didn't carry over the high level of pitching. Kartsonas was relieved by freshman Benjamin Hudson. Hudson only lasted an inning. A combination of freshman Mac Stiffler and junior Ben McDougal came in to close it out, and they breathed a little life into the Bearcats at the top of the eighth. The two let up four runs on just one out, making the score look closer than at 10-5.
Tyler Hutson came in to shut things down and didn't allow a run in the final two innings, having three strikeouts against five batters.
Cincinnati stayed alive late in the game to avoid the mercy rule, but it wasn't enough to avoid the series sweep.
"Good week, " Sabins said. "Look forward to having a little time off. I know the guys really do."
Continue reading...
