Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Paul Schoenfeld blasted a two-run home run in the ninth inning as No. 1 seed West Virginia rallied to defeat No. 3 seed Kentucky 11-9 on Sunday and force another game in the Morgantown Regional.
Brodie Kresser, Schoenfeld, and Armani Guzman each had two hits for the Mountaineers (42-15).
Ben McDougal (1-0) earned the win, allowing two runs on two hits over five innings of relief.
Jackie Soucie (0-2) took the loss for the Wildcats (33-22).
Trailing 9-6 in the ninth and facing elimination, the Mountaineers turned it on and with the bases loaded, Guzman walked, scoring Kresser. Gavin Kelly’s sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 9-8. With the bases loaded a balk scored the tying run, setting the stage for Schoenfeld’s heroics.
McDougal retired the Wildcats in the ninth to secure the victory and force a decisive rematch Monday.
It was a wild first inning between Kentucky and WVU.
With the bases loaded in the first, Sean Smith was hit by a pitch and then Matthew Gravline’s sacrifice fly made it 2-0 before WVU even recorded a hit. Matt Ineich walked and Brodie Kresser singled, pushing the lead to 3-0.
In the bottom of the first, errors and walks plagued the Mountaineers and the Wildcats scored two unearned runs to cut the deficit to 3-2.
In the second, Kentucky tied the game at 3-3 before WVU took a 6-3 lead in the third.
The Wildcats scored four runs in the fourth to take a 7-6 edge, and then added two solo home runs in the seventh to extend the advantage to 9-6.
The winner of Monday’s game will advance to the Super Regional round for a chance to move one step closer to Omaha.
Photo Credit: Shanna Rose
