Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Brodie Kresser delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon, blasting a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift No. 23 West Virginia to a 9-5 victory over Columbia on Saturday at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
Tyrus Hall led off the inning with a base hit before Gavin Kelly was hit by a pitch and Paul Schoenfeld worked a walk to load the bases. With two outs, Kresser drove a 0-1 pitch over the left-field wall, sending the Mountaineers pouring out of the dugout to mob him at home plate.
Sean Smith and Kelly each led WVU (9-3) with three hits, while Kresser finished with two hits and four RBIs.
David Perez (1-1) earned the win for the Mountaineers, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits.
WVU opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning. Armani Guzman lined a single through the right side to score Brock Wills, and Sean Smith later stole home on a double steal before a strikeout and double play ended the inning.
Kelly sparked the fifth inning with a leadoff double and later came around to score on a throwing error to extend the Mountaineer lead to 3-0.
The Lions (2-8) answered with four runs in the sixth inning to take its first lead of the game. With runners on first and second, Cole Fellows delivered an RBI double to right-center. Columbia added another run on a fielding error by Guzman, and a sacrifice fly followed by a bases-loaded walk pushed the Lions ahead 4-3. Reese Bassinger entered with the bases loaded and recorded the final out to keep the deficit at one.
After the seventh-inning stretch, WVU responded. Schoenfeld singled and scored on Matthew Graveline’s base hit to right field. Graveline advanced on an error and later came home on another single through the right side, putting the Mountaineers back in front 5-4.
Columbia tied the game in the eighth inning when Jackson Brewer doubled to left to score Hunter Snyder, evening the contest at 5-5.
The Lions threatened again in the ninth, but Graveline made a leaping catch at the wall to rob a potential home run and keep the game tied.
WVU loaded the bases again in the 10th inning, and after Columbia forced a runner out at the plate, Kresser delivered the decisive swing, launching the walk-off grand slam over the left-field wall.
The rubber match of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
Photo Credit: Shanna Rose
