Mountaineers Send Mazey out with a Win in Home Finale

West Virginia cruises in the series finale against Kansas State

West Virginia junior JJ Wetherholt hits a three-run home run in the series finale against Kansas State. / Christopher Hall

Granville, WV – In the final home game of his career, West Virginia head coach Randy Mazey leaves Kendrick Family Ballpark with a win after the Mountaineers (31-19, 17-10) dismantled the Kansas State Wildcats (29-21, 13-14) in a series deciding game three Sunday afternoon 12-5.

"This is the team I wanted to retire with. This is an unbelievable team, unbelievable kids. For them to go out and play the way they did today knowing that this was my last game on this field, I just can’t thank them enough, they played a great game,” said Mazey. "They showed up to play. I think they know that I really wanted to sing ‘Country Roads’ in my last home game ever on this field and that was a gift from them I’ll never forget.”

West Virginia head coach Randy Mazey kneels down at the top of the dugout with his son Weston standing behind him. / Christopher Hall

West Virginia captured an early 1-0 lead after Sam White lined a single to left field and Reed Chumley drove the first pitch for a double and White scored after junior left fielder Chuck Ingram could not field the ball off the hop, allowing White to score for the one-run advantage.

The Mountaineers added a pair of runs in the second with a solo home run from sophomore Benjamin Lumsden and sophomore Logan Sauve doubled to right centerfield for an RBI.

Kansas State put a run on the board in the fourth inning after Brendan Jones laid a leadoff bunt for a single. The junior took second on a wild pitch and junior Kaelen Culpepper hit a deep fly ball to center field to place Jones at third before redshirt junior Brady Day hit a grounder back to pitcher Tyler Switalski, but Jones cleverly froze the junior and slid safely home.

Junior JJ Wetherholt added three runs for the Mountaineers in the bottom of the frame, driving the 3-2 pitch 423-feet for a three-run home run and the 6-1 lead.

In the fifth, and with the bases loaded and two outs, Wetherholt received an RBI walk and Sam White lined a two-RBI single to centerfield for a 9-1 advantage.

West Virginia sophomore Logan Sauve. / Christopher Hall

Heading into the sixth, Tyler Switalski allowed just two hits and a run, but the Wildcats grabbed some momentum after Jones received a walk and an error put two on before Day ripped a two-RBI triple to right centerfield and senior Danniel Rivera dropped an RBI single to centerfield, ending Switalski’s afternoon. He finished the day allowing three earned runs on four hits and struck out five.

Head coach Randy Mazey called in sophomore Carson Estridge from the bullpen.

Junior Cayden Phillips capped off the four-run sixth with a sacrifice bunt and cut the Kansas State deficit to four, 9-5.

In the seventh, after Sauve hit a one-out single to short and White followed suit with two outs, Chumley delivered an RBI single to left field to extend the Mountaineers’ lead to five, 10-5.

West Virginia sophomore Skylar King fields a fly ball in left centerfield against Kansas State. / Christopher Hall

Sophomore Skylar King drove a two-run home run in the eighth inning for the 12-5 advantage.

West Virginia freshman reliever Joseph Fredericks came in the game for Estridge in the ninth and three consecutive K-State groundouts ended the game as the Mountaineers take the series in the home finale, 12-5.