MORGANTOWN, WV – The West Virginia University baseball team fell to Villanova 5-1 in game one of a three game BIG EAST series on Friday afternoon in Plymouth Meeting, Pa.
The Mountaineers (24-17, 10-6) scored one run on 11 hits, committing three errors, while Villanova (16-24, 3-13) scored five runs on 10 hits with one error.
Junior right-hander Josh McCauley (1-3) pitched in his first BIG EAST start of the season, allowing 10 hits but only two earned runs. McCauley also was able to get out of multiple jams.
Kyle McMyne took the win for Villanova and allowed one run and nine hits in 8.1 innings pitched. McMyne also struck out six, while walking two.
“Josh did a nice job for us and their pitcher, McMyne, pitched a great game and got our guys to ground into three double plays,” coach Greg Van Zant says. “McMyne was hitting 93 and 94 with his fastball, and Villanova played really well today.”
Redshirt shortstop Grant Buckner went 3 for 5, extending his streak of reaching base to a conference leading 35 games. Senior third baseman Justin McDavid and freshman first baseman Ryan McBroom each had two hits, with McDavid scoring West Virginia’s lone run.
Down 4-0 heading into the sixth inning, McDavid opened the frame with a double down the left field line, followed by a single through the left side by Buckner to advance McDavid to third. McDavid then scored on the next play, as redshirt senior designated hitter Jeremy Gum grounded into a double play to score McDavid.
Villanova jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when Marlon Calbi singled to center field and then scored on a Steve Schrenk double to left field. Schrenk was immediately driven in on a Matt Fleishman single up the middle.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth when Schrenk doubled to right center and scored on a fielding error by redshirt senior second baseman Colin Durborow. Dain Hall, who reached on Durborow’s error, scored after a double by Michael Erb to right center.
Villanova then added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to bring the score to 5-1.
Calbi and Adam Nelson each had two hits to lead the Wildcat offensive, with Calbi, Hall and Nelson all scoring one run.
The teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 1:15 p.m. Redshirt freshman lefty Marshall Thompson will likely get the start for West Virginia.
Discussion about this post