The West Virginia University baseball team defeated Texas Christian University, 6-4, on May 16 at Kendrick Family Ballpark to close out the regular season. The Mountaineers improved their record to 37-13 overall and 21-9 in the Big 12 Conference, while TCU fell to 33-20 and 17-13 in conference play.
The game was marked by a late rally from West Virginia, which scored three runs in the eighth inning. The tying and go-ahead runs came as a result of wild pitches. Graduate student Reese Bassinger earned the win for West Virginia after pitching 3.2 scoreless innings in relief and allowing just two hits.
Key contributions came from the top of the Mountaineers’ lineup: sophomore Matt Ineich, sophomore Gavin Kelly, and graduate student Paul Schoenfeld combined for seven hits, with Ineich recording three of them. Graduate student Brodie Kresser reached base four times with a hit and three walks, while junior Tyrus Hall hit his fifth home run of the season.
TCU took an early lead with a run in the first inning and added two more on a home run in the third. In response, Kelly hit an RBI triple before scoring on Schoenfeld’s single to cut into TCU’s lead. Hall tied it up with a leadoff home run in the fourth inning before TCU regained an advantage with an RBI single by Noah Franco in the sixth.
In challenging weather conditions during the eighth inning against TCU closer Tanner Sagouspe—who entered with an earned run average below two—Kresser led off with a walk followed by Brock Wills’ single. After Hall’s sacrifice bunt moved runners into scoring position, Sagouspe threw two wild pitches that allowed both Kresser and Wills to score for West Virginia’s decisive lead.
Bassinger closed out the ninth inning despite issuing one walk; he secured outs on a flyout and groundout to end both game and series for West Virginia.
Looking ahead, West Virginia enters postseason play as the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Tournament. The team will begin tournament action Thursday, May 21 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona at 7:30 p.m., facing an opponent yet to be determined.