West Virginia downs Rider with 10th inning walk-off

Grant Hussey needed only two pitches to send West Virginia home happy.

The first baseman jumped at a pitch early in his 10th inning at bat Tuesday night, sending it deep to right-center field and scoring baserunner Evan White.

The double earned the Mountaineers a 5-4 walk-off win over Rider.

Early on, Rider was carrying plenty of momentum.

Facing Tyler Strechay in his first start of the season, the Broncs jumped on the West Virginia right-hander from the get-go. Leadoff batter Jake Barbiere singled to open the game and eventually reached third before the Mountaineers worked their way out of the inning.

In the second inning, Rider was able to break through. With a runner on second, third baseman Jack Winsett connected on a single to plate the team's first run of the game.

In the following half inning, a leadoff double from West Virginia first baseman Grant Hussey put a runner in scoring position. One batter later, second baseman Mikey Kluska drove him in with a double of his own — tying the score at one.

The scoreboard stayed fixed to 1-1 until the seventh inning when Rider exploded for three runs, scoring on a fielder's choice, sacrifice fly and single, respectively. It took relief pitchers Ben Abernathy and Kevin Dowdell 20 total pitches to make it out of the inning.

However, things took a turn in the Mountaineers' favor in the bottom of the eighth. After advancing to third base, JJ Wetherholt scored on a Hussey sacrifice fly. Then, outfielder Victor Scott scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Kluska — tying the game.

Neither team was able to come across in the ninth, pushing the game to extra innings.

Then, in the tenth inning, Hussey connected on the double, securing the WVU win.

Outfielder Austin Davis went 3-for-5 at the plate and scored the pivotal run needed to send the game to extra innings.

Hussey ended the day going 2-for-4 with two doubles.

West Virginia (8-4) opens a three-game series at home against Ohio State on Friday.

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