A strong start from Grant Siegel aided by two home runs and then a late rally, West Virginia avoided the sweet and took game three against Georgia Southern on Sunday afternoon, earning the Mountaineers their first win of the 2023 season.
After dropping the first two games of the weekend, WVU needed a strong start from the Tulane transfer Siegel. In the first, Siegel (1-0) gave up a two-run home run to Noah Ledford to put the Eagles on the board first.
The Mountaineer offense would have an answer of their own. With two runners on, Nevada transfer Landon Wallace hit a three-run home run, to put West Virginia back in front. The Mountaineers would never trail again, ultimately winning, 13-4.
Siegel would end up going five innings, striking out just three, but keeping his team in the game. He shut down a Georgia Southern rally in the fourth inning, getting out of a bases loaded jam, and keeping his team ahead, 4-3.
That would be the last time the Eagles had a chance to tie or take the lead. In the top of the fifth inning, West Virginia used the longball again to open up their lead. After a Tevin Tucker sacrifice-fly, Braden Barry hit a three-run home run on a full count off the scoreboard. Barry crushed a hanging breaking ball and put the Mountaineers ahead 8-3.
Leading 9-3 in the bottom of the seventh, the West Virginia bullpen seemed to be doing its job after struggling the last two nights. That would almost be erased with one swing of the bat though.
Ledford stepped in with the bases loaded and one out and would hit a ball which easily had the distance but did not stay fair. Three pitches later Jake Carr got Ledford to strike out swinging. With two outs, West Virginia head coach Randy Mazey made a switch to the bullpen, to bring in Noah Short. Short walked the first batter he faced to bring in one run for the Eagles, before striking out Zane Faulk to get out of the inning.
In total, the West Virginia bullpen threw a combined 4.0 innings, giving up one run, striking out six, and walking three.
West Virginia’s offense was paced by Wallace and Barry with their three-run homers, while Caleb McNeely — who also hit a home run in the third innings — finished the day with three RBI as well.
The Mountaineers are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to face Maryland in College Park. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.
Photo from @WVUBaseball on Twitter
