The No. 15 West Virginia University baseball team won the series against Houston with a 7-3 victory at Kendrick Family Ballpark on April 19. The Mountaineers now have a record of 27-9 overall and are 12-6 in Big 12 conference play, while Houston falls to 17-21 and holds a league record of 4-14.
This win is significant for West Virginia as it strengthens their position in the Big 12 standings and demonstrates strong pitching depth. The Mountaineer pitchers did not allow a hit until the eighth inning, finishing the game with just two hits allowed. Sophomore Chansen Cole struck out five batters over five scoreless innings, followed by senior Carson Estridge who pitched another one and two-thirds hitless innings. Senior Ben McDougal also contributed an inning without allowing a hit.
On offense, graduate student Brodie Kresser and senior Matthew Graveline each hit home runs for West Virginia. Junior Armani Guzman recorded two hits and scored twice, while graduate student Sean Smith had two hits and drove in one run. In the first inning, junior Tyrus Hall and senior Paul Schoenfeld executed a double steal from first-and-third base positions—each recording two stolen bases during the game.
Guzman added to the lead by scoring twice on errors: once from second base on a failed pickoff attempt in the second inning, then again following an error by Houston’s second baseman in the fourth. Kresser extended the lead with his second home run of the season—a two-run shot—in the fifth inning. Graveline’s fifth home run of this campaign came in the sixth, tying him with Smith and sophomore Gavin Kelly for most on the team this season.
Houston scored three runs late in the eighth inning but could not close further as graduate student Reese Bassinger finished off with a scoreless ninth frame.
Looking ahead, West Virginia will return to Kendrick Family Ballpark Tuesday evening for this season’s only edition of its Backyard Brawl rivalry matchup; first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
