Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Battling through rainy conditions and a late deficit, No. 9 West Virginia scored three times in the eighth inning to rally past TCU 6-4 on Saturday and secure the series win at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
Reese Bassinger (3-2) earned the win, pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits for the Mountaineers (37-13, 21-9 Big 12). Tanner Sagouspe (3-3) suffered the loss for the Horned Frogs (33-20, 17-13).
Matt Ineich finished the game with three hits while Gavin Kelly and Paul Schoenfeld each had two. Brodie Kresser reached base four times, including three walks, and Tyrus Hall hit his fifth home run of the season.
TCU took an early 1-0 lead in the first on a double from Nolan Traeger. A two-run homer from Kyuss Gargett extended the lead to 3-0 in the third.
In the bottom of the third, Kelly hit an RBI triple off the center field wall before coming home to score on a single by Schoenfeld, cutting the deficit to just one run.
Hall tied the game at 3-3 with a leadoff home run in the fourth, but the Horned Frogs took a 4-3 lead in the sixth.
TCU handed the ball to its closer Sagouspe in the eighth, who is one of the best relievers in the league. Kresser started the inning with a walk and Brock Wills singled before a sacrifice bunt by Hall put runners at second and third.
As rain poured down, Sagouspe fired two wild pitches that allowed Kresser and Wills to cross the plate, giving WVU the lead.
Bassinger came back out in the ninth and locked down the win.
The Mountaineers secured the No. 2 seed and a double bye in the Big 12 Tournament. WVU will play its first game on Thursday, May 21, from Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. WVU will find out its opponent later in the week.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
