One day after the West Virginia lineup delivered eight runs in the first inning, it was a great effort on the mound for the Mountaineers as they allowed one run on six hits, securing a 3-1 win over James Madison, finishing a two-game sweep of the Dukes.
West Virginia scored three runs in the third and fourth innings combined, with the biggest being a two-out steal of home by Sam White which was ultimately the game-winning run.
David Hagen got the start for West Virginia on Tuesday. Hagen (2-0) was touched up in the first inning, settling in after. It was only one pitch that cost Hagen who got two outs on nine pitches, before he allowed a solo home run to Kyle Langley, putting JMU in front 1-0.
It would not be one pitcher that would slow down the West Virginia offense, using three total pitchers on the evening. West Virginia got hits in both of the first two innings but had nothing to show for it, as the first ended in a double play and the second in a caught stealing.
West Virginia scratched a run across in the third, as Kyle West singled and Grant Hussey doubled, turning the lineup over to Brodie Kresser. Kresser, who singled in the first, this time scored WVU's first run of the game on a sacrifice-fly, plating West and tying the game at 1-1.
Sam White walked to start the inning before Jace Rinehart was hit by a pitch. Skylar King singled to load the bases before the Mountaineers had the bases juiced with two outs in the inning.
Instead of relying upon an offense that had been stagnant for the most part on the evening, they turned to the legs of White. White was on third, staring at the back of the James Madison left-hander Corey Costello before he broke for home. Costello (0-1) flinched, with the throw coming late as White slid in head-first safely, giving WVU a 2-1 lead.
To add insult to injury — and also to add to WVU's lead — Costello tossed a wild pitch which allowed Rinehart to scored after he advanced to third on the steal from White, as the Mountaineers led 3-1.
It would be the bullpen that would take the game from there, as the trio of Hagen, Reese Bassinger, and Jack Kartsonas held JMU to four hits over the final five innings as the Dukes didn't score after the first-inning home run.
West Virginia's lineup produced only six hits on the night, as King led the way with three, going 3-for-3 at the dish.
West Virginia improves to 18-1 on the season, and now turn their attention to hopefully their first full Big 12 series of the season when they host Arizona at Kendrick Family Ballpark for a three-game series this weekend.
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