WVU cruises by Binghamton 10-1
In its first game of the Morgantown Regional, the No. 16 seed West Virginia defeated Binghamton 10- 1 inside Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark Friday evening.
The victory gives WVU its fourth regional matchup with Kentucky in the last four seasons, as the first pitch is set for 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. Binghamton joins Wake Forest in the losers’ bracket, kicking off the day at noon.
Right-hander Chansen Cole took the ball for the Mountaineers and pitched one of his best games of the season. In six innings of work, he struck out a season-high 10 batters, allowing one earned run on four hits. He did not allow a free pass, offering 94 pitches, moving to 9-1 on the year.
Through three innings, WVU was down 1-0, then it scored 10 unanswered runs. Two big home runs from left fielder Matthew Graveline for two RBI and right fielder Ben Lumsden with a three-run shot got the party started in the fourth inning. First baseman Armani Guzman got in on the fun, recording two doubles for three RBI. Catcher Gavin Kelly put the icing on the cake with a two-RBI double as well.
Of the Mountaineers’ 10 runs, five each came in the fourth and sixth innings.
To begin the game, Cole retired the first two batters with groundouts to the left side. Then he surrendered his first hit of the game, earning his first strikeout the next at-bat. WVU did the same thing as center fielder Paul Schoenfeld recorded a two-out single, with a strikeout ending the first inning.
The next inning, Binghamton was first to get in the scoring column. A leaoff double from Zack Kent and a wild pitch put him on third base. After a strikeout, Zachary Anderson dribbled a ball to third baseman Tyrus Hall. He had trouble with the exchange, getting the ball to the plate late, allowing Kent to slide in safely. Kelly threw out Anderson, then Cole earned a strikeout, limiting damage.
WVU went down in order as Binghamton held a 1-0 lead into the third inning.
After a one-two-three third inning from Cole, WVU began to occupy bases. Lumsden walked, and after a strikeout, he got caught leaning and was picked off at first base. Two walks with as many outs put runners on first and second. Schoenfeld ripped a ball to right field, but directly at a guy, ending the inning.
Cole made quick work of the Bearcats in the fourth inning, then WVU came alive. To begin the frame, designated hitter Sean Smith was hit with a pitch. Graveline then jumped on the next pitch for a 412-foot home run over the center field wall, putting the Mountaineers up. Guzman scorched a double to the deepest part of the field before a walk. Then Lumsden turned on a middle-middle changeup for a no doubt home run over the right field bullpen for three RBI.
After four innings, WVU led 5-1.
In the fifth inning, Cole had to work around trouble. An error by Guzman put the leadoff batter on, then Cole saw a strikeout. After two singles with a strikeout in between, the bases were loaded. In a 2-2 count, Cole saw his third strikeout of the frame, ending the threat. In WVU’s turn, it saw one runner with a Guzman walk, but nothing more.
The sixth inning saw Cole work a one-two-three inning, then the Mountaineers added to their lead. Lumsden singled to start the frame, and Hall put a double off the right field line, putting runners on second and third. Kelly then split the gap between left and center field for a two RBI double. With two outs, Smith and Graveline were both hit with a pitch, loading the bases. Guzman then hit a base-clearing double, dropping a ball down the left field line.
Through six innings, WVU led 10-1.
Right-hander David Hagen started the seventh inning and walked the first batter he saw. He buckled down and retired the next three hitters. A quiet frame from WVU put the game into the eighth inning.
After both teams went down one-two-three in the eighth, Hagen came back out and sat down the side, ending the game with a strikeout.
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