Mountaineers' Bats Remain Hot and Pound Golden Gophers in Series Opener

West Virginia overwhelms Minnesota 15-7 in the series opener

Morgantown, WV - The West Virginia Mountaineers (8-4) rolled over the Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-12) in game one of a three-game series 15-7 Friday afternoon. J.J. Wetherholt led the Mountaineers with a home run and four RBIs while Tevin Tucker went 4-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs. 

West Virginia starting pitcher Ben Hampton got off to a rough start, allowing four runs on four hits and a pair of walks in the first two innings but buckled down in the third. 

West Virginia starting pitcher Ben Hampton delivers a pitch in game one versus Minnesota / Julia Mellett - Sports Illustrated: FanNation - Mountaineers Now

After facing the minimum in the in the first, Minnesota starting pitcher Tucker Novotny walked the bases loaded in the second before consecutive sacrifice ground balls from Grant Hussey and Skylar King cut the deficit in half. 

The Golden Gophers tacked on another run in the fourth, but the Mountaineers tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. Tevin Tucker squeezed a two-out bunt for the Mountaineers first base runner of the frame before Braden Barry brought him home with a hard hit double down the left field line. Then, J.J. Wetherholt hit a deep fly ball to left field and Ike Mezzenga dropped the ball near the warning track, scored Barry and with the errant throw from the outfield, Wetherholt scored and tied the game at five. 

West Virginia's Kevin Dowdell slides safely home in the sixth inning.  / Julia Mellett - Sports Illustrated: FanNation - Mountaineers Now

West Virginia broke the game open in the fifth after Grant Hussey worked a one out walk and Tevin Tucker delivered a two-out RBI single. Tucker stole second and Barry again brought him around the base pads with a double before J.J. Wetherholt hit a two-run home run over the left field wall and the Mountaineers grabbed a 9-5 lead. 

West Virginia shortstop Tevin Tucker laying down one of his two bunts for a single on the afternoon / Julia Mellett - Sports Illustrated: FanNation - Mountaineers Now

In the sixth, McNeely got the five-run fifth inning started with a leadoff infield single and Sam White worked a walk, then Logan Suave laid down a bunt but a throw to third was wild, scoring McNeely. Kevin Dowdell singled through the right side for an RBI and Tevin Tucker picked up his second RBI of the afternoon with a bunt down the first baseline for a single, and Wetherholt smacked a base clearing triple into right-centerfield to cap off the five run fifth inning as West Virginia took a commanding 14-5 lead. 

Freshman righty Robby Porco came into the game in the fifth, threw four innings, struck out five and allowed one run to pick up his second win of the season.

West Virginia reliever Robby Porco tossed four innings and collected his second win of the season against Minnesota / Julia Mellett - Sports Illustrated: FanNation - Mountaineers Now

Minnesota added two runs to its total in the final two innings while the Mountaineers tacked on another to claim game one 15-7.

West Virginia has scored 23 runs on 23 hits in the last two games. 

The Mountaineers take on the Golden Gophers in game two Saturday afternoon with the first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. EST. 

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