Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
CINCINNATI, Ohio – No. 12 West Virginia built a three-run lead early, but Cincinnati used a five-run eighth inning to rally past the Mountaineers 7-5 on Sunday afternoon to take the season series.
Gavin Kelly and Paul Schoenfeld each had two hits and drove in two runs. Matt Ineich finished with two hits and an RBI for the Mountaineers (28-12, 13-7 Big 12).
Reese Bassinger (1-2) suffered the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits in his one inning of action.
Jack Natili had three hits and two RBIs for the Bearcats (29-17, 10-11).
In the second inning, WVU took a 1–0 lead. The Mountaineers added another run in the third on Schoenfeld’s sacrifice bunt back to the mound.
Schoenfeld pushed the Mountaineers lead to 3-0 with a single through the left side in the fifth. Cincinnati responded in the bottom half of the inning, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Kelly delivered a base hit into shallow left field, scoring Brock Wills and Ineich to extend WVU’s advantage to 5-2 in the seventh.
The Bearcats used a five-run eighth inning sparked by a string of hits, as Ryan Tyranski, Quinton Coats, and Derrick Pitts each singled to load the bases. Natili delivered a two-run single to pull within one, and Enzo Infelise followed with an RBI single that tied the game. After a groundout moved runners into scoring position, a throwing error allowed another run to score. Christian Mitchelle capped the inning with an RBI single.
The Mountaineers travel to State College to take on Penn State on Wednesday.
Photo credit: WVU Athletics
