MORGANTOWN – An 11-run offensive onslaught and eight innings of pitching from freshman right-hander Corey Walter led the West Virginia baseball team to an 11-2 victory over Eastern Kentucky to sweep a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Hawley Field.
West Virginia (10-7) scored 11 runs on 10 hits with one error, while the Colonels scored two runs on nine hits and committed three errors.
“Corey Walter was outstanding,” coach Greg Van Zant said. “For a freshman to do what he did, just going out there and throwing pitches for strikes. He has a down-angle on his fastball in the upper 80s, maybe touching 90, that has some sink to it. It’s a good pitch.”
Designated hitter Jeremy Gum and third baseman Justin McDavid led the Mountaineers at the plate. Gum had a 3-for-4 performance, including three doubles, three RBIs and a run scored, while McDavid finished with a 4-for-5 with two doubles, four RBIs and one run scored. Catcher Matt Malloy batted 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
“I felt like I was seeing the ball well today, put out some good swings and squared a couple of balls up and found the gap,” Gum said. “As far as the RBIs go, everybody 1-through-9 had great at-bats, so there were always people on base.”
Walter (2-0) went eight innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. This was Walter’s second-career start and second-consecutive game that he pitched eight innings.
“I came out here and felt good again. Starting off the season the way I did, I was just hoping for another good outing and I think I did a pretty good job today,” Walter said. “I just tried to get some ground balls because I have a really good defense behind me and I know they’re going to make plays.”
EKU starter Anthony Bazzani (0-4) took the loss, giving up nine runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings pitched. The Colonels used five relievers to finish the game.
Richie Rodriguez (2-for-5) and Austin Grisham (2-for-5) each had two hits, while runs were scored by Grisham and Bryan Soloman.
Much like the first game, WVU got off to a fast, scoring nine runs in the first four innings, highlighted by four in the fourth inning.
After Brady Wilson was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch to begin the bottom of the fourth, McDavid singled up the middle, driving in Wilson. Dan DiBartolomeo then singled and stole second to put two runners in scoring position with Grant Buckner at the plate. Buckner hit a fielder’s choice to the second baseman, who bounced a ball to the catcher for an error, scoring McDavid and DiBartolomeo. Gum followed with a doubled to right center that plated Buckner.
WVU’s two runs in the first inning came from a Gum double to center to score Buckner and DiBartolomeo, while the second inning’s two runs came from a McDavid double that scored Mark Dvoroznak and Malloy.
Freshman Cody Dolan hit a sacrifice fly, bringing Gum home in the bottom of the third to extend the WVU lead to 5-0.
West Virginia will be back in action with a four-game series with Canisius this weekend. Friday’s game will start at 3 p.m., with Saturday’s doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., and Sunday’s finale starting at noon.
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