WVU pitching shuts down Nittany Lions in 3-1 win
AP Photo/Rick Scuteri
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Paul Schoenfeld provided the power and Gavin Kelly provided the sacrifice fly, but it was WVU’s pitching that handed the 15th-ranked Mountaineers a 3-1 victory against struggling Penn State on Wednesday inside Meritus Park in Hagerstown, Md.
Aside from a solo home run given up in the second inning, four WVU pitchers combined to allow just three hits and no runs otherwise with only one Penn State base runner reaching third base the rest of the game.
It all spelled out another midweek win for WVU (25-8), which improved to 6-0 in midweek games this season. Meanwhile, Penn State (10-24) lost for the ninth time over its last 12 games.
In all, starter David Hagen and relievers Ian Korn, Weston Smith and Reese Bassinger combined to allow five hits, three walks and struck out eight.
It’s the kind of effort WVU head coach Steve Sabins has come to expect this season, as WVU’s team ERA improved to 3.99 on the season.
“We may have a better pitching staff than people are giving us credit for, even though we’re leading the (Big 12),” Sabins said on Tuesday prior to the game. “We may have an elite pitching staff. We might have one of the best pitching staffs in the country.”
The Nittany Lions couldn’t argue. Penn State designated hitter Michael Anderson and outfielder Jack Porter were the only ones to provide WVU pitchers with a problem. Anderson, who came into the game tied for 10th in the nation with 15 home runs, went 1 for 1. He also walked twice and was hit by a pitch. Porter had three hits, including the solo homer in the second inning for Penn State’s lone run.
West Virginia’s offense wasn’t a cause for fireworks, but it was good enough to provide a winning cushion.
Schoenfeld blasted a solo home run – his second of the season – to open the game with a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
In the third, Brock Wills hit a one-out triple and Matt Ineich walked. Kelly hit a sacrifice fly to deep center that scored Wills for the go-ahead run.
For good measure, Schoenfeld then doubled and Sean Smith’s infield single scored Ineich for the final score.
WVU had just six hits in the game, with Schoenfeld going 2 for 4.
Hagen (3-0) earned the win. He pitched three innings, with Porter’s home run representing the only hit he allowed. Reese Bassinger picked up his second save. He also threw three innings, giving up one hit, no runs and struck out four.