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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After having its way in the opening set of the Class AA/A boys tennis doubles title match, Winfield’s William Sinclair and Connor Waybright were staring at a 5-2 second-set deficit against Williamstown’s Austin Bosgraf and Tyler Fenton.
With Bosgraf and Fenton defending state champions, Sinclair and Waybright figured they’d better do all they could to prevent a repeat.
That’s precisely what the Generals’ duo did, executing its plan to perfection late and securing a state championship in the process with a 6-2, 7-5 victory at the Charleston Tennis Club.
“In the first set, we played really well,” Sinclair said. “In the second set, we get down 5-2 and figured we had nothing to lose. We went for it and pulled through.”
The Yellowjackets’ tennis program didn’t finish without a doubles title, however, as Claire Strobl and Akhia Miller paired together and got past Chapmanville’s Emma Bryant and Madison Baker 6-2, 6-1, for a commanding victory in the girls final.
It was a rewarding finish for Strobl and Miller after the Yellowjackets came up just short Friday in their quest for a team title that instead was won by the Tigers.
“It’s going to be our last memory and especially after losing team, it was important to come out of this on a positive note,” Strobl said. “We get to look back on this and look at the last point … the best point.”
Bosgraf and Fenton had defeated Sinclair and Waybright Friday during the team portion of the state tournament, helping lead Williamstown to a state championship in the process. Yet it also gave more insight to Sinclair and Waybright on what would and wouldn’t work, and the Winfield duo helped apply that knowledge a day later.
“Knowing they were state champions last year and getting to watch them play and then play against them in the team match on Friday, that was a big step in the right direction,” Sinclair said. “We lost that match, but figured out what we were doing wrong and figured out some strategic plans for this one.”
Waybright agreed with his teammate’s assessment.
“We played them yesterday and we didn’t play too well, but I’m glad we played them so we could figure out some weaknesses,” Waybright said.
At the forefront of goals for the duo was to serve to Fenton’s backhand, which they felt gave them the best chance at winning points at or near the net.
“We had to play more with heavy spin instead of trying to overpower them,” Waybright said. “That’s a pretty good team.”
Sinclair and Waybright began their title run with an 8-0 win Friday, before getting by Ravenswood’s Ben Crow and Cameron Dawson 8-4 in a semifinal.
Bosgraf and Fenton, also 8-0 winners in their opening round match Friday, eliminated Charleston Catholic’s Nicholas Giatras and Max Wilcox 8-4 in their semifinal.
For Strobl and Miller, it was often a similar formula throughout their final match. Miller’s overpowering serves put the duo in position to succeed, which Strobl often helped ensure was the case.
“She was serving bombs and I’d volley that,” Strobl said, “and it would be a 1-2, boom — point.”
Strobl and Miller began doubles play with an 8-3 win before claiming an 8-2 victory for their spot in the final.
“You have to separate the days and tournaments. It’s three different tournaments. We lost the team and had to forget about it and go to singles,” Strobl said. “Then forget about singles, come to doubles and clear your mind and play hard.”
Bryant and Baker defeated Williamstown’s Ashtyn McIntyre and Gabi Holl 9-8 (8-6) in a tightly-contested semifinal that prevented an all Yellowjacket title match.
Just as the case was in Class AAA doubles play, the Class AA/A doubles matches began outdoors at the Kanawha City Community Center before rain forced the majority of Saturday’s doubles action to be completed inside at the Charleston Tennis Club.
“Just glad it was the semifinal, because the adjustment and timing was tough,” Sinclair said, “but getting used to it in the semifinals helped us play well in the final.”
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — If George Washington’s Nadia Orcutt and Zoe Charles were going to repeat as Class AAA girls tennis doubles champions, they surely would have to earn it.
Huntington’s Molly Archer and Olivia Akers claimed the first set, and despite the Highlander duo dropping the second set, they were in control of the super tiebreaker with an 8-4 lead and having never trailed.
That’s about the time Orcutt and Charles’ championship mettle kicked in, with the duo combining for six unanswered points to end the match and prevail with its second straight state championship, 2-6, 6-4, (10-8).
“We had nothing to lose. We played to win and didn’t play safe,” Orcutt said. “We play to be aggressive the whole time. We were successful in our endeavors and we kept our confidence levels up. We didn’t let stupid shots get us down and we went one ball at a time for each point and it finally got us to where we wanted to be.”
On the boys side, the final didn’t have near the same drama with the Hurricane duo of Jacob Smolder and Zachary Giertz defeating Woodrow Wilson’s Ram Asaithambi and Ethan Sheppard 6-1, 6-3.
“We were serving well and we just kept it going,” Giertz said. “We’ve been playing for a few years together and we’ve developed chemistry so that we get to go out there and win some matches.”
Earlier Saturday, Smolder and Giertz clashed in a singles semifinal which Smolder won en route to his state championship.
“It definitely helps my game. He’s a good player and getting to play him helps me get better,” Giertz said. “We actually played each other in the semifinals at regionals, too.”
The duo then joined forces to have their way in three matches as they were hardly threatened. Prior to playing in the final, Smolder and Giertz won comfortably twice at 8-1, while Asaithambi and Sheppard outlasted George Washington’s Samir Jones and Owen Erlewine 9-8 (7-4), and then got past Cabell Midland’s Ashton Cottrell and Jack Erlewine, 8-5.
It wasn’t as comfortable, but every bit as satisfying for Orcutt and Charles, a passionate duo that helped guide the Patriots to the team championship one day earlier.
Down the stretch, they found a way to preserve against Archer and Akers, who had accomplished much of what they hoped to throughout a well-played match.
“They are an extremely competitive and well-rounded duo and we had to figure out a very articulated game plan to beat them,” Orcutt said. “At the beginning, they were completely outplaying us and we had to figure out what to do to be able to outplay them.”
Charles felt the biggest factor in the turnaround was an increase in aggressiveness and avoiding complacency.
“In the first set, we were just hitting back and forth from the baseline and it wasn’t working,” Charles said. “We had to switch it up and try to come to the net. That was our biggest turning point. Rushing the net was the biggest thing for us.”
When the duo finally gained its first lead in the super tiebreaker, it didn’t squander a chance to close it out quickly.
“We knew if we wanted to stay in it, we had to be as aggressive as we had been to get us to that point in the match,” Orcutt said. “Our goal this whole season was to get a repeat of this exact feeling in this exact match. We had known what it is to be in a tough finals match from last year, and we knew we had to dig and try to get to this moment.”
In its quarterfinal and semifinal round matches, Orcutt and Charles won far more comfortably at 8-1.
Akers and Archer had also done the same, advancing first with an 8-0 victory and then an 8-3 triumph.
In somewhat of an odd twist, most semifinal doubles matches began outdoors at the Kanawha City Community Center before rain approximately 15 minutes in forced a change of venue and location to the Charleston Tennis Club for the remainder of doubles play throughout the afternoon.
“Outside I knew I would be more focused on making more balls, because in those other conditions you’re not hitting it as hard, but when we came inside, I knew hitting a bigger serve and trying to win points quicker was probably a better idea,” Giertz said. “I adjusted and tried to go for a little bit more.”
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Nicholas Giatras remembered the feeling all too well and it wasn’t one he wanted to experience again.
The Charleston Catholic boys tennis standout fell short in last year’s Class AA/A final, and with an opportunity to go out on top Saturday at the Kanawha City Community Center, Giatras wasn’t about to let it go to waste.
Instead, Giatras delivered in key spots during a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Winfield’s William Sinclair to produce a desired ending one season after coming up two points short of a state championship when he fell to Williamstown’s Austin Bosgraf in a super tiebreaker.
“I’ve been working ever since that loss last year to get the title back to where I thought I deserved it,” Giatras said. “I’ve worked long hours in the gym and on the court. It feels amazing to get this title back.”
One day after helping lead the Chapmanville girls to a Class AA/A team title, the Tigers’ Courtney Curnutte polished off a state championship by defeating Williamstown’s Claire Strobl 6-2, 6-2 in the final.
“After we won, I tried to reset and focus,” Curnutte said. “It feels pretty good. I don’t really know how to describe it. I’m really glad we won yesterday, too, and it’s nice to win twice.”
Curnutte, who won a state championship in doubles last season, began her charge Saturday to a championship by first knocking off Strobl’s doubles partner with the Yellowjackets, Akhia Miller, 8-3.
In the finals, it was much of the same for Curnutte, who was steady throughout and was largely able to play a match that fit her style while in front.
“I tried to finish the points early and hit more winners and tried to keep easy balls out of the point,” Curnutte said. “I hit harder balls and tried to hit them faster.”
Curnutte won 8-0 in two singles matches Friday to reach a semifinal.
Full of emotion throughout his matches, Giatras first topped Connor Waybright, Sinclair’s doubles partner, in a semifinal, 8-1.
“Being emotional has definitely hurt and helped me, but this year, I’ve been able to control it and help use that anger and excitement to keep pushing forward,” Giatras said.
He won his first two matches Friday without dropping a game, and though he was largely tested by Sinclair, he countered back each time it appeared the General was building momentum.
With an 8-3 semifinal win earlier Saturday against Bosgraf, Sinclair denied the Yellowjacket an opportunity to repeat.
He came up short in his quest to finish the job against Giatras, a junior who won his second state championship after also doing so as a freshman. He credited Jorge Perez of the University of Charleston, this season’s Mountain East Conference Men’s Tennis Player of the Year, for helping him consistently improve.
“My forehand was working and I was able to control all the court with my forehand using the tactics I’ve been taught,” Giatras said. “Wanted to control things with my forehand and be dominant and aggressive.”
— — — — —
All-Tournament Teams
Class AA/A Girls:
Courtney Curnutte, Chapmanville
Claire Strobl, Williamstown
Addison Amick, Logan
Akhia Miller, Williamstown
Cecilia Taverna, Robert C. Byrd
McKenzie White, Lincoln
Emma Bryant, Chapmanville
Alyssa Hanna, Charleston Catholic
Class AA/A Boys:
Nicholas Giatras, Charleston Catholic
William Sinclair, Winfield
Andrew Sinclair, Winfield
Connor Waybright, Winfield
Ben Crow, Ravenswood
Austin Bosgraf, Williamstown
Brandon Gray, Williamstown
Ethan Basin, Charleston Catholic
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — University’s Lyla Byers wanted a similar feeling to what she experienced last season.
Hurricane’s Jacob Smolder was out for a far different ending.
Mission accomplished for both Byers and Smolder, who won Class AAA singles state championships Saturday afternoon at the Kanawha City Community Center.
Byers notched her second straight singles title, and did so in dominant fashion again with a 6-0, 6-0 victory against Wheeling Park’s Madeline Bradshaw.
“I trusted myself and trusting every shot,” Byers said. “The big thing in this match was staying relaxed and hitting through the ball and not trying to overpower or do anything extra.”
A season ago, Byers dropped one set while claiming the singles title against George Washington’s Nadia Orcutt.
She was even more dominant this time around, scoring a pair of 8-0 victories Friday in opening-round and quarterfinal matches, and then started Saturday with an 8-4 win against Washington’s Angeline Almeyda in a semifinal.
“I’ve practiced every day and I’ve worked a lot on my forehand,” said Byers, who credited her work at Gomez Tennis Academy in Naples, Florida for her continued improvement throughout the offseason. “Last year, I was switchings up a little bit and changing some form. Worked on that to make that more consistent and I’ve finally started to play aggressive from both sides and coming to the net and pushing forward in points.”
Not long after Byers secured her spot in the final, so, too, did Bradshaw, who won a tightly-contested semifinal over Orcutt, 9-8 (7-3). In that match, Bradshaw overcame a 3-0 deficit to start the tiebreaker.
The semifinal matches were played in chillier conditions for May standards, before the sun broke through during finals matches.
“This morning was very cold, so it was hard to get warmed up and started, but it was nice to play in beautiful weather,” Byers said.
For Smolder, it was just the ending he’d hoped for after falling short at last year’s state tournament when he was eliminated in the semifinal round.
In the final, Smolder faced a familiar opponent in Cabell Midland’s Ashton Cottrell, and he utilized a strong start to build confidence through the match en route to a 6-3, 6-1 victory.
“That definitely provided a cushion for me. I was able to be more confident in my shots and being a couple games up helped me stay loose,” Smolder said.
Familiarity with his opponent was also beneficial, according to Smolder.
“I’ve already played him six times in one season, so I pretty much knew what to expect,” he said. “Tried to make balls high with heavy top spin and keep my head.”
To reach the final, Smolder had to defeat teammate Zachary Giertz, 8-1. On Friday, Smolder had qualified for the semifinal round by first getting past Morgantown’s Larry Du, 8-0, and then scoring an 8-2 victory against Princeton’s John Paul Choate.
“It feels awesome knowing all those countless hours on the court and working out finally paid off,” Smolder said. “Now I’m going to go home and rest.”
Cottrell was involved in a competitive semifinal and knocked off Huntington’s Ryan Patterson 8-6 to advance to the title match.
— — — — —
All-Tournament Teams
Class AAA Girls:
Lyla Byers, University
Madeline Bradshaw, Wheeling Park
Molly Archer, Huntington
Savannah Allen, Hurricane
Angeline Almeyda, Washington
Olivia Akers, Huntington
Olivia Morrison, Cabell Midland
Nadia Orcutt, George Washington
Class AAA Boys:
Jacob Smolder, Hurricane
Ashton Cottrell, Cabell Midland
John Paul Choate, Princeton
Ram Aaithambi, Woodrow Wilson
Zachary Giertz, Hurricane
Ryan Patterson, Huntington
Kalman Nagy, University
Samir Jones, George Washington
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CHARLESTON, W.Va.— Boy Scout leaders in the Mountain State say the name is really the only aspect of the organization that’s changing.
Following the Boy Scouts of America’s announcement that it would be changing its name to Scouting America in an effort to be more inclusive, Buckskin Council Executive Director, Jeffery Purdy said they are simply better embracing what the scouts have already been doing for the past several years now in allowing girls to participate.
“I don’t know if we feel any different, we’re still scouts,” Purdy said. “We’ve had the girls in our Boy Scouts programs since we changed the name to BSA over five years ago, so almost 20 percent of our membership now are girls and so that’s not something new to us.”
According to BSA, 176,000 girls are a part of the organization with 6,000 of whom have earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
Purdy said embracing a more inclusive institution not only helps all of the kids feel welcome, but it makes it easier on the parents of both boys and girls as well.
“I think that families that can show up to a scout round up night and they have a son and a daughter in tow and both children can participate in a scouting event that place, that time, that location at the same time is every important, especially now days where you have so many single-parent families,” he said.
Purdy said girls have been doing the same activities boys have been doing since they started incorporating girls into the scouts in 2018.
He said the many girls who have already earned the highest rank is a reflection of the fact that they can fulfill the mission of what it means to be a scout in the exact same way boys can.
“It requires you to do a lot of activities including being outdoors, and obviously, there must be a segment of girls out there that enjoy doing those types of activities,” he said.
The Buckskin Council of BSA covers 40 counties across West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia.
Amid the announcement of the organization’s name change, last week marked the council’s annual Friends of Scouting luncheon, a major fundraising event that brings all of the supporters of the council together.
Purdy said these supporters help contribute the necessary funds needed to keep them operating and able to bring the various activities and resources to the scouts in the area.
“This is some of the most challenging areas in the country to serve scouts and families because it’s right in the middle of Appalachia, but with great support like our fundraising event today, we’ll be able to serve families and youth through scouting,” Purdy said.
The council was presenting its Good Scouter Award at last week’s event honoring H. Bernard Wehrle Sr., the first scout in West Virginia.
Tom Heywood is the chair of this year’s Friends of Scouting campaign, and he said it’s a very successful one this year.
Heywood said the role and mission of scouting in Southern West Virginia has never been more vital.
“There are a lot of challenges and there are a lot of young people who don’t have a lot of programs in the environment we wish they would have,” said Heywood. “And the scouts really help fill that need and meet that need by providing structured activities, leadership opportunities.”
He said there is a vast network of people who volunteer their time and efforts to be involved with the scouts throughout the region.
Even during one of the most challenging times for every organization, the Covid-19 Pandemic, Heywood said the scout leaders and volunteers did not stop the activities they provide to the scouts, or from fulfilling their overall mission.
“Remarkably our leadership team at the Buckskin Council did just that, they were quite creative with how to connect people, how to keep people engaged while everyone was wearing masks and staying inside, plus a lot of the scouting activities generally are outdoors-oriented, which was safer during the time of Covid,” Heywood said.
The scouts at the Buckskin Council now look forward to a variety of camps this summer, including its Outdoor Adventure Day Camp at Coonskin Park in Charleston on June 3-7, and then again on June 10-14 at Camp Arrowhead in Ona.
You can find out more about the camps and other programs by visiting Buckskin Council on its website.
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown Fifth Ward Councilor Danielle Trumble is asking the Monongalia County Commission for assistance with recent challenges in the social services network.
In addition to the potential closure of the Bartlett House due to financial issues, Trumble, who is also a board member of Morgantown Community Resources, and Seventh Ward Councilor Brian Butcher are concerned about a warming shelter for the winter of 2024-25 and the scheduled end of free bus rides to Hazel’s House of Hope in June.
Trumble told commissioners this week she was not representing the entire council and said,” I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone that with the troubles the Bartlett House is having now the entire community is suffering.”
“We need some type of coordinated effort to handle these things because right now Councilor Butcher and I are out on a limb and we need support,” Trumble said.
Commission President Sean Sikora accepted an invitation from Trumble to participate in a meeting with the other municipalities and social service agencies to address the issues.
“We’re certainly on board in terms of dealing with issues and working together,” Sikora said. “We stand at the ready to have those conversations when you’re ready for that.”
Trumble made the request after numerous comments from the public and suggestions that have included re-establishing a camp similar to the pandemic-era Diamond Village. Trumble and Butcher have admittedly taken the lead on the issues and urged their peers to take a more active role after hearing from about six more residents the previous night.
“I think we need to take a more official stance,” Trumble said. “A lot of people have been coming to Morgantown City Council and asking us to address these things and this is not something the city of Morgantown can do alone.”
Commissioner Tom Bloom wants to participate and wants to be involved, however, Bloom described their role as one of support and cited the 24 agencies they allocate more than $1 million to provide services.
“Somebody from the state or someone is going to have to take charge of that part of it,” Bloom said. ” I think the cities and county are part of the solution by funding it, but we are not the answer.”
During the winter of 2022, the then warming shelter operated at Hazel’s House of Hope os Scott Avenue and about 60 people a day used the facility. At the time, there were complaints about placing the shelter in the entrance/lobby area and adequate staffing.
“I don’t understand that if we have 80 or so people that are in the community and say they need housing and they never came during those cold spells and I’m not sure why,” Bloom said. “But, the RFP for the warming shelter- where it’s going to be and how it’s going to be run is something we have to look at.”
In recent years, the city of Morgantown has allocated $30,000 and Monongalia County contributed $10,000 to the operation of the shelter.
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning in their Class AAA Region I, Section 1 championship game against Wheeling Park, Morgantown needed a spark to get their offense going against Park’s starting pitcher, Nate Simon.
Junior shortstop Weston Mazey provided that lift to spark a two-run inning as the Mohigans clinched a spot in the regional round with a 2-1 win over the Patriots.
After Caleb Nutter led off the fifth inning with a single, Mazey grinded through a 16-pitch at bat that ended when he was hit by a pitch.
“I should have bunted the first pitch but I popped it up,” Mazey said. “Once you get to two strikes, you have to use it all and take away everything. I think it is pretty hard to hit fastballs in with two strikes. That’s what I was getting so I just kept fighting them off.”
“That was a game-changing at bat for us. That’s a 16-pitch at bat and I have never seen a 16-pitch at bat. The most I had ever seen is Jedd Gyorko starting a game off with 15,” said Morgantown head coach Pat Sherald.
“For him to get in there and be resilient, not give in and constantly keep competing because obviously today runs were scarce. To have that quality of an at bat was huge for us.”
After 77 pitches, Simon was replaced on the mound by Ryland Robb.
With the bases loaded and one out, Dylan Travinski tied the game with a two-strike, run-scoring single to score Jonathon Shrewsbury.
“He has been our guy in the batters box all year,” Sherald said. “He is the hitter you want to see come up in that situation. We work a lot on our two-strike approach. As a senior, he just got in there and gutted out that at bat for us.”
Two batters later, Eli Boggs worked out a walk with the bases still loaded. Mazey scored what proved to be the game-winning run.
Staked to a one-run lead, Tristan Milik put two more scoreless frames on the scoreboard for MHS. He went the distance on the mound, allowing six hits while striking out seven batters.
“He went out there and took command of the game,” Sherald said. “He has really matured as a pitcher for us. This season, every game he seems to be getting a little stronger and a little stronger for us. It is exciting to see him peak at this time of year for us.”
Morgantown allowed just one run in their three sectional games.
“They did their job,” Milik said. “Now it is my turn to go out and do my job.”
Nutter, Mason Bowers and Nate Wolfe each had two hits for MHS (25-7).
Wheeling Park’s season ends with a 17-14 record. Braydon Kupsky had two hits for the Patriots.
“Hats off to their coaching staff and their team,” Sherald said. “They had a great season. Their pitcher, Simon went out there and really competed for them. In the end, we were able to score one more run.”
Morgantown will face Bridgeport in the Class AAA Region I best-of-three series, starting on May 20.
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PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — The National Weather Service on Friday confirmed a storm which struck Thursday evening in Wood County was a tornado.
The twister touched down for a brief period east of Parkersburg around 8:20 p.m. It was measured as an EF1 tornado and caused damage to a barn, mobile home, and numerous trees which were twisted, broken, and uprooted. One person suffered minor injuries in the touchdown.
The National Weather Service report says the damage started north of Rising Sun Ridge Road and continued southeast to Jericho Road then continued causing damage before reaching Ralston Hill Road and weakening.
It’s the 12th confirmed tornado in West Virginia this spring. The most recent twister touchdown was in Hancock County and back on April 2nd there was an outbreak of ten confirmed tornadoes across the Kanawha Valley.
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FAIRMONT, W.Va. — West Virginia State Police made two drug-related arrests at the Petty John/Royal Inn in Fairmont after an alleged drug sale to a confidential informant earlier this week.
Troopers from the Marion County Detachment of said the informant bought $20 worth of crack cocaine Wednesday from Michael Holloway, 29, of Fairmont. The informant told troopers Holloway was conspiring with Terry Mayle, 44, of Grafton, to deliver more drugs the same day.
A search of the room by troopers yielded 25 grams of crack rock cocaine, Xanax tablets and Diazepam tablets that were allegedly prepared for sale.
After locating Mayle and searching his room at the same motelpolice found a key to the vehicle they were using and more crack cocaine.
While being questioned troopers said both suspects admitted to conspiring to sell and deliver crack cocaine.
Holloway and Mayle have been charged with conspiracy and are being held in North Central Regional Jail.
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GRANVILLE, W.Va. — For the first time since March 30, WVU walked off the field at Kendrick Family Ballpark with a loss. West Virginia’s nine-game home winning streak, which included a pair of Big 12 series sweeps, was halted by Kansas State, 4-3 in front of a crowd of 3,137 fans.
Both teams are now 29-19.
The Mountaineers (15-10 Big 12) were held to just six hits. KSU starting pitcher Owen Boerema improved to 5-3 on the season. He allowed five hits and struck out eight batters over seven innings.
“That was a product of their kid on the mound doing a really good job,” said WVU head coach Randy Mazey. “He is a good pitcher. We were out of rhythm because he made us get out of rhythm.”
The Wildcats (13-12 Big 12) opened the scoring just three batters into the game on a run-scoring single from Brady Day. WVU drew even in the second inning with an RBI single from Skylar King.
K-State answered in the third inning with a run-scoring single from Kaelen Culpepper to take a 2-1 lead. The teams traded runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, WVU put the potential tying run on base ahead of Grant Hussey. Hussey connected on a long fly ball to left field that was grabbed just steps in front of the left field fence by Chuck Ingram.
“I thought it had a chance. But there was no wind and kind of dead air. The ball wasn’t carrying great tonight.”
Tyson Neighbors retired the side in order for Kansas State in the bottom of the ninth to collect his seventh save.
Hayden Cooper tossed six innings for the Mountaineers, tying for his longest outing of the year. He allowed three runs and struck out six batters.
“He was throwing more strikes than he usually does with a couple different pitches. He did fine.
“We need somebody to step up and be a starting pitcher on this team. If we can’t get that down the stretch, we won’t win any games.”
Reed Chumley hit his team-leading 14th home run of the season for WVU. JJ Wetherholt went 2-for-4 with an RBI single.
Despite the loss, West Virginia clinched a spot in the Big 12 Conference Tournament based on other results around the league Friday evening. Oklahoma State and Texas both won on Friday. The Mountaineers have slipped a game behind the Cowboys and the Longhorns and into fourth place in the Big 12 standings.
Saturday’s middle game of the series has been moved up by an hour to 3 p.m. in anticipation of inclement weather.
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