Kearns, WVU Upsets No. 7 Texas Tech

By rscaife
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Updated: March 30, 2018

Courtesy of WVU Athletics

LUBBOCK, Texas (March 29, 2018) – The West Virginia University baseball team shut out No. 7 Texas Tech, 1-0, to win the series-opener in Lubbock, Texas, on Thursday night.

The Mountaineers (10-12, 1-3 Big 12) have won three in a row against the Red Raiders (21-6, 1-3 Big 12) and five of the last seven, all while TTU has been ranked in the top 10 nationally. Six of the last seven games between the two teams have been one-run contests.

In front of 3,833, West Virginia defeated the No. 1 RPI team in the country and handed Texas Tech its first home loss in 15 games this season at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

“It’s great to get a win over such a good team,” WVU coach Randy Mazey said. “We hadn’t been pitching great, and they’re leading the league in hitting by a long way, so the matchup wasn’t all that great. Our guys just went out there and threw enough strikes, kept them off balance and threw up a zero at a time when we really needed it.

Freshman left-hander Jackson Wolf was spectacular in relief. In 4.0 innings, he allowed no runs on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks. He relieved sophomore right-handed starter Isaiah Kearns, who allowed two hits in 3.0 innings.

Wolf, who earned his first career win, was followed by senior right-hander Shane Ennis. In the final 2.0 innings, he allowed one hit with two strikeouts. Ennis picked up his first career save.

Junior right fielder Darius Hill drove in the Mountaineers’ run, with a sixth-inning single. It was his first game-winning hit of the season. Hill had one of WVU’s three hits.

Both teams stranded a runner in the first before 1-2-3 second innings. The first hit of the game came in the fourth, on back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom half off Kearns. Wolf relieved him, and loaded the bases with a walk with one out, but got out of the jam and stranded the maximum.

WVU and TTU each left a pair of runners on in the fifth. The top half featured West Virginia’s first hit of the game, as sophomore designated hitter Chase Illig singled but was stranded on third. Wolf got a strikeout to end the bottom of the frame.

The Mountaineers took a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Junior catcher Ivan Gonzalez led off the inning with a double to right-center, and two pitches later scored on Hill’s single up the middle.

Wolf followed with a 1-2-3 sixth inning and retired the side in order again in the seventh.

A double started the bottom of the eighth, and Ennis relieved Wolf. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to third, but Ennis got back-to-back groundouts to end the inning and hold WVU’s 1-0 lead.

In the ninth, Ennis gave up a leadoff single but got a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to end the game.

The series in Lubbock, Texas, continues on Friday night, at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT. The finale is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT.

Friday’s game will air nationally on FS1, WVU’s first nationally-televised game of the season. Saturday’s game is on FSSW+. Both games also can be viewed via FOX Sports GO to subscribers. Fans can listen to the games on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG on various affiliates throughout the state, while fans across the country can tune in to the broadcast online at WVUsports.com and on the WVU Gameday App and the TuneIn App on their mobile device. Direct links to video streams, radio broadcasts and live stats can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com.

NOTES: West Virginia improves to 10-12 on the season and 1-3 in Big 12 play … The all-time series between WVU and Texas Tech is tied, 9-9, and WVU has won three in a row and five of the last seven, all while TTU is ranked in the top 10 nationally … WVU improved to 1-0 this season vs. ranked opponents … Texas Tech falls to 14-1 at home this season … Jackson Wolf pitched 4.0 innings in relief and allowed no runs on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks … Wolf picked up his first career win … Shane Ennis earned his first career save.