Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
LUBBOCK, Texas – Chansen Cole pitched eight strong innings as No. 17 West Virginia cruised to a 10-2 win over Texas Tech, taking two of three in the weekend series at Rip Griffin Park.
The Mountaineers (24-8, 10-5 Big 12) took 2-of-3 games this weekend. Cole (6-1) allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out four for WVU.
Sean Smith went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs for the Mountaineers while Brock Wills had two hits and drove in three runs.
Adam Hayes (2-1) suffered the loss for the Red Raiders (20-15, 6-9). He pitched four innings and gave up three runs on nine hits.
WVU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Ineich led off with a double and scored on Paul Schoenfeld’s triple to right field. Sean Smith drove in Schoenfeld with an infield single.
In the second, the Mountaineers scored another run when Armani Guzman scored on Wills’ groundout.
Tracer Lopez’s sacrifice fly in the sixth pulled Texas Tech within two, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
WVU added three insurance runs in the eighth, taking a 6-1 advantage. Smith got the inning started and raced to third on Tyrus Hall’s double. Pinch-hitter Zahir Barjam delivered with a sacrifice fly, scoring Smith. Guzman walked, then Brock Wills’ hit through the left side pushed home two more runs.
Gavin Kelly opened the ninth with a double and scored on Smith’s base hit back to the mound. Back-to-back singles from Guzman and Matthew Graveline pushed the Mountaineers’ lead to 10-1.
Cole came on in the ninth and gave up a leadoff single to Lopez and walked Robin Villeneuve, prompting a call to the bullpen. Ben McDougal entered and got Coleman Ryan to foul out before he hit a batter and walked in a run. Steve Sabins called upon Ian Korn, who came on and got the final two outs.
Graveline earned his 200th career hit in the win.
WVU plays Penn State on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. (ET) in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
