Hudson Byorick assumed that Marshall pitcher Nick Adkins was “asleep” on the mound in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The fifth-year outfielder guessed right, executing a steal of home plate to give the West Virginia baseball team its fifth run of the game. The score was just one piece of the Mountaineers’ offensive onslaught as the team went on to rout the Thundering Herd 9-3 on Wednesday.
Byorick came around to score after lacing a pitch to right field for an RBI triple, scoring center fielder Victor Scott. To that point, the Mountaineers had already built a strong offensive foundation, plus some breathing room along with it. After Marshall shortstop Geordon Blanton scored in the top of the first inning, West Virginia tallied four unanswered runs prior to Byorick’s steal of home.
It started with a strong second inning, one in which the Mountaineers plated two runs. Austin Davis added one with an RBI single before adding the team’s third run with a double in the following inning. After Scott came to score, the Mountaineers faced a 4-1 advantage.
On the mound, West Virginia sailed through the Thundering Herd lineup. Outside of the first-inning run, starter Jake Carr threw three innings of no-hit ball before head coach Randy Mazey turned to the bullpen.
Carr, a sophomore from St. Albans, ended the night allowing only one run on two hits over four innings of work, striking out three.
Turning the ball over to the bullpen, the Mountaineer pitching staff continued where Carr left off. The Thundering Herd did not connect for another hit until the seventh inning, eventually resulting in two runs. Yet, WVU still led 7-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, West Virginia second baseman Tyler Doanes singled before advancing all the way to third base, scoring two more runs. They were the last that either team would plate, resulting in the 9-3 final score.
Mountaineer closer Madison Jeffrey came on in the ninth, retiring the final three batters to secure the WVU win.
McGwire Holbrook led the Mountaineers at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Davis totaled two hits, including a double, for two RBIs.
Up Next: West Virginia (13-14) will host Big 12 foe No. 7 Texas Tech (24-7) this weekend for a three-game series. The first game will come on Friday night, with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.
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