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BB23 Baumgardner
Photo: Todd Griffith
3
Winner Malone MALONE 1-0
2
West Virginia St. WVSU 0-1
Winner
Malone MALONE
1-0
3
Final
2
West Virginia St. WVSU
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Malone MALONE 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 1
West Virginia St. WVSU 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 6 0

W: Mitch Maurer (1-0) L: Loftis, Nick (0-1) S: Cooper Davies (1)

7
Winner Malone MALONE 2-0
3
West Virginia St. WVSU 0-2
Winner
Malone MALONE
2-0
7
Final
3
West Virginia St. WVSU
0-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Malone MALONE 1 0 0 2 2 2 0 7 10 1
West Virginia St. WVSU 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 3 1

W: Devin Norton (1-0) L: Norris, Chase (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | James Garcia, Sports Information Director

Baseball drops two in season opener

INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University baseball team (0-2) opened the 2023 season with a doubleheader against Malone (2-0) at Shawnee Sports Complex. The Yellow Jackets were edged in the first game, 3-2, before being defeated, 7-3, in the second game.

Game 1: Malone 3, West Virginia State 2

Pitcher Nick Loftis got the start for WVSU and steadied after a shaky first inning. With two outs in the top of the first, the Pioneers picked up a run on an RBI-single then brought two baserunners home on a triple.

Loftis did not allow a hit for the next three innings and was replaced by Colin Bryant in the top of the fifth. Bryant remained on the mound for the rest of the game and did not give up any hits.

The Yellow Jackets nearly overtook Malone in the bottom of the fifth. Mike Huber led off with a single up the middle. Connor Fizer then reached base with an infield single before Michael Bittinger loaded the bases with another single up the middle.

A fielder's choice resulted in the first run for State. Hank Hinchman then scored from third as Kyle Waters stole second. Hinchman entered the game as a pinch runner. A strikeout ended the fifth inning and left the score at 3-2 in favor of the Pioneers.

Cooper Davies came in to pitch for Malone in the sixth inning and earned the save by allowing only one hit in his two innings on the mound.

Bittinger went 2-for-3 while Michael Stone hit a double for State's only extra base hit.

Game 2: Malone 7, West Virginia State 3

The Pioneers scored on a fielder's choice in the top of the first, 1-0, before tacking on two more runs in the fourth, 3-0, with a pair of RBI-singles. 

The Yellow Jackets responded with a run, 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth. Ryan Kay scored on a groundout after reaching base with an infield single.

Two more runs were added by Malone in the top of the fifth on a single up the middle with runners on second and third, 5-1. A triple by Waters in the next half inning scored Bittinger to close the gap to three, 5-2.

The Pioneers scored two more in the top of the sixth before William Glick's solo homerun gave the game its final score, 7-3, in the bottom of the sixth. Both team's pitchers were unhittable in the seventh inning.

West Virginia State was efficient, scoring three runs on three hits. Malone racked up 10 hits in comparison.

Tyrus Baumgardner was lights out in his two innings pitched at the tailend of the game. He did not allow any baserunners with two strikeouts.

 Up Next

West Virginia State will host Lake Erie College next on Saturday, Feb. 25th and Sunday, Feb. 26th. Saturday will be a doubleheader while Sunday will be a single nine-inning game.

 
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