West Virginia Takes Big 12 Opener Over BYU

The Mountaineers crush the Cougars in the Big 12 Conference opener

Morgantown, WV - The West Virginia Mountaineers (8-6, 1-0) grabbed the Big 12 Conference home opener over the BYU Cougars (6-6, 0-1) Thursday evening 10-4.

West Virginia got on the board in the first when sophomore Skylar King hit a hard ground ball to second for a single and sophomore Sam White singled to centerfield to place runners at the corners before sophomore Benjamin Lumsden hit into a double play to first, but King crossed home plate prior to the tag at second for the 1-0 lead. 

The Mountaineers broke the game open with a five run fifth inning. Freshman Spencer Barnett started the inning with a leadoff, then singles from junior Brodie Kresser and King loaded the bases before Sam White singled into centerfield for a pair of RBIs. 

BYU starting pitcher Ben Hansen walked Lumsden to lead the bases, then sophomore Ellis Garcia ended his afternoon with an RBI single. BYU head coach Trent Pratt called in senior left-hander Mason Olson, and on the first pitch, Kyle West hit the gap in right-centerfield for a pair of RBIs as the Mountaineers took a 6-0 lead. 

BYU senior Cooper Vest hit a leadoff home run in the seventh to put the Cougars on the board. 

West Virginia added three runs in the bottom of the inning. Garcia smacked a leadoff home run. Junior Tyler Cox ripped a one-out single and proceeded to steal second. Then, with two outs, Barnett singled through the left side to score Cox, Brodie Kresser was hit by a pitch and a high fly ball to shortstop Brock Watkins was dropped and Barnett scored for a 9-1 advantage. 

West Virginia starting pitcher Aidan Major gave up a triple to junior Collin Reuter and back-to-back home runs to freshman Kuhio Aloy and sophomore Easton Jones. Major finished the inning and ended his day with eight strikeouts.

The Mountaineers added a run in the bottom of the frame. Garcia received a leadoff walk, stole second and took third on an errant throw before scoring on a wild pitch. 

West Virginia redshirt freshman reliever Bryce Amos took the mound in the ninth and kept the Cougars off the board as the Mountaineers cruised to the 10-4 decision.