Mountaineers Sweep Gophers

West Virginia scores four runs in the eighth to top Minnesota

Morgantown, WV - The West Virginia Mountaineers (10-4) battled the Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-14) through seven innings before breaking the game open with a four-run eighth inning for the series sweep 7-4. 

In the bottom of the third, three consecutive Mountaineer singles from Landon Wallace, Tevin Tucker and Braden Barry loaded the bases before J.J. Wetherholt hit a fly ball to centerfield to advance all the runners and scoring Wallace for the game's first run. 

Minnesota tied the game in the fourth when Brady Counsell reached on an error at third and moved to second to begin the inning, then with two outs and runners at the corners, Boston Merila smacked an RBI double down the third base line, tying the game at one.

West Virginia reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning after Sam White doubled to the warning track and Grant Hussey brought him home with double down the right field line for the 2-1 Mountaineer advantage. 

In the sixth, the Golden Gophers reclaimed the lead. Ike Mezzenga worked a one-out walk before Jake Perry drove a two-out RBI double to left-centerfield, tied the game at two and ended the afternoon for WVU starting pitcher Grant Siegel as head coach Randy Mazey called Carlson Reed from the bullpen.

Reed gave up an RBI single and Minnesota grabbed the 3-2 lead. 

The Mountaineers put up four runs in the eighth, and the rally began when Minnesota reliever Connor Wietgrefe walked consecutive WVU batters and Sam White put both runners in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, ending Wiegrefe's afternoon. 

Seth Clausen took the mound, then Ellis Garcia flared an RBI single over the head and just out of the reach of second baseman Brady Counsell to knot the game at three. 

Minnesota opted to intentionally walk the bases loaded before a passed ball brought in the winning run before Tevin Tucker cleared the bases with a double to left centerfield for a pair of insurance runs.

Clausen loaded the bases after hitting Braden Barry in the head and intentionally walking Wetherholt and brought in the fourth run of the inning with a four-pitch walk to Kevin Dowdell as the Mountaineer attained a 7-3 advantage. 

West Virginia sophomore reliever Keegan Allen allowed two hits and a run in the ninth but got out of the inning, striking out Kris Hokenson to end the inning and complete the series sweep of Minnesota 7-4. 

The Mountaineers are back in action on Tuesday to start a five-game road trip in the state of North Carolina. WVU faces Appalachian State in a two-game game midweek series before heading over to UNC Greensboro for a three-game weekend series. 

Game one of Appalachian State is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.

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