West Virginia Rolls Houston in Game 1

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Christopher Hall | Last updated Apr 11, 2025 10:48 PM ET

HOUSTON – The West Virginia Mountaineers (28-4, 8-3) registered 15 hits to handle the Houston Cougars (19-15, 5-7) in the series opener Friday night 9-2.

West Virginia put a run on the board in the top of the second inning after Brodie Kresser ripped a one-out double down the left field line and the senior took third on a wild pitch before Chase Swain hit a ground ball up the middle that was slowed down from the mound and the redshirt junior beat the throw to first for an infield single RBI and a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth and with two outs, senior Grant Hussey drove double into the right-centerfield gap, then with the count sitting at 0-2, Swain drilled a triple to the hole in right-center. Sophomore Spencer Barnett followed with a routine grounder to second base and Houston junior Coby DeJusus misplayed the ball to score another Mountaineer run.

Houston junior starting pitcher Paul Schmitz walked consecutive Mountaineer hitters to load the bases and assistant coach Woody Williams had seen enough from the junior and called out to his bullpen for right-hander Kendall Hoffman. The freshman walked in a run, then senior Jace Rinehart singled through the left side for an RBI and a 5-0 advantage.

The Cougars put a run on the board in the bottom of the frame after senior Aaron Lugo hit a leadoff double and with two outs, junior Kenneth Jimenez delivered the RBI double to left field.

West Virginia got a run back in the top of the fifth when Kresser singled up the middle, and was able to move to third after a wild throw on a pickoff attempt from sophomore catcher Riley Jackson, before Chase Swain collected his third RBI of the evening with a sacrifice fly to right field and a 6-1 lead.

Houston junior Cadie Climie cut the WVU lead back to four with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning.

The Mountaineers reclaimed the five-run advantage in the sixth after senior Skylar King lined a leadoff double and Logan Sauve singled through the right side to set up an RBI single for senior Kyle West.

West Virginia starting pitcher Griffin Kirn tossed six innings, recorded five strikeouts, before leaving in the seventh inning with two aboard an no outs. Head coach Steve Sabins called right hander Reese Bassinger. The senior got out of the inning with the defense backing him up and ending the inning on a 6-4-3 double play.

West Virginia added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth when King hit a leadoff infield single, Sauve hit a ground ball on a hit and run to right field and the fielding error scored Kings, then with one out, freshman Gavin Kelley smacked an RBI single up the middle for a 9-2 lead.

Bassinger finished the final three innings for his fifth save of the season and Kirn remains perfect for his fourth win as the Mountaineers claimed the 9-2 decision.