No. 12 West Virginia Falls to Kansas State, Drops Series

Manhattan, KS – The No. 12 West Virginia Mountaineers (40-10, 19-6) dropped the series deciding game three against the Kansas State Wildcats (30-21, 16-11) Sunday afternoon 14-9.

West Virginia captured the lead in the top of the second after senior Jace Rinehart ripped a leadoff double and advanced to third on a ground ball back to the mound, then redshirt junior Chase Swain hit a deep fly ball to right field for the sacrifice RBI and the 1-0 lead.

The Mountaineers extended their advantage in the third when senior Brodie Kresser hit a one-out single up the middle and senior Kyle West kept the inning alive with single through the right side before junior Logan Sauve lined a two-RBI double over third base and into the left field corner for the 3-0 lead.

Kansas State pulled within a run in the bottom of the frame after senior Bishop hit a leadoff single and junior Shintaro Inoue drove a two-run home run.

The Wildcats claimed the lead in the fourth. Three consecutive singles to begin the inning capped by redshirt junior Bear Madliak for the game-tying RBI single was followed by Bishop scratching a runner across with a sacrifice ground ball to second for the 4-3 edge.

West Virginia senior starting pitch Jack Kartsonas tossed four inning and allowed four runs on eight hits and registered four strikeouts.

Senior Tyler Hutson was handed the ball in the fifth and after issuing a leadoff walk, senior Seth Dardar hit a deep drive to centerfield and off the heel of the glove of a leaping Skylar King for an RBI double. Senior Keegan O’Connor kept the momentum going with an RBI single to left field and junior Sam Flores beat the shift on the right side to place runners at the corners and no outs on the board

Head coach Steve Sabins went back to the bullpen, tabbing senior Reese Bassinger.

Maximus Martin brought in another Kansas State run on a sacrifice fly to left field but the Mountaineers got out of the inning on a 5-4-3 double play.

West Virginia cut into the four-run deficit in the sixth. Rinehart was grazed by the 0-1 pitch to represent the leadoff runner, then junior Sam White pulled a double down the right field line and Swain pounded the ball into the turf for a high chopper over the mound for an RBI infield single before White took home on a passed ball to get within two, 7-5.

The Mountaineers regained the lead in the seventh after West worked an eight-pitch walk, Sauve singled to left field and with two outs, White reached down and lifted a three-run home run for the 8-7 advantage.

After Bassinger put two aboard with a hit batsman and a double from Martin, junior reliever Cole Estridge took the mound.

Kansas State reclaimed the lead following RBI singles from Evasco and Madliak. Then, with the baes loaded Dardar delivered a grand slam to cap a six-run eighth inning as the Wildcats took game three 14-9.

West Virginia returns to the field for the regular season series finale at Kendrick Family Ballpark against Kansas. Game one is set for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. EST, game two is slated for Friday at 6:30 p.m. EST and the series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

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