West Virginia Hammers Marshall

The Mountaineers take the first game of a three-game season series against the Herd

Charleston, WV - West Virginia senior Reed Chumley went 4-4 with a home run and four RBIs to lead the Mountaineers (10-7) past the Marshall Thundering Herd (6-10) 11-2. 

Marshall grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when West Virginia junior starting pitcher Tyler Switalski walked leadoff hitter, junior Tre Hondras. Next, Caden Kaiser singled into centerfield, placing runners at the corners. Then, senior Owen Ayers hit a sacrifice groundball before senior Gio Ferraro delivered an RBI double to left centerfield for the two-run lead. 

West Virginia took command of the game with a six-run third inning. Mountaineer freshman Aaron Jamison got the inning started with a hard-hit single to rightfield, freshman Spencer Barnett worked a walk, sophomore Skylar King hit a sacrifice fly ball to rightfield, then sophomore Sam White ripped a two-RBI double to left-centerfield, tying the game at two. 

Sophomore Benjamin Lumsden gave the Mountaineers the lead with an RBI single through the right side of the infield and senior Reed Chumley blasted a three-run home run over centerfield, his first of the season, as West Virginia held a 6-2 lead through three innings. 

Spencer Barnett singled in the fourth before Marshall senior reliever Alex McKay walked the bases loaded, prompting head coach Greg Beals to call in senior Cole Agemy from the pin and he proceeded to walk in another Mountaineer run. 

West Virginia added a run in the fifth after a single from Chumley and freshman Michael Perazza doubled down the left field line and Barnett hit a sacrifice fly to center field as the Mountaineers extended the lead, 8-2.

The Mountaineer tacked on two runs in the sixth when White dropped a single into centerfield, and Ellis Garcia ripped a double down the leftfield line to score White, then Chumley collected his fourth hit fourth RBI of the night after a double into leftfield as West Virginia was in full control 10-2. 

Kyle West hit a solo home run in the eighth to push the lead to nine as the Mountaineers take the 11-2 decision.