PROVO, Utah – In a game filled with momentum swings, the West Virginia University baseball team rallied from an eight-run deficit to defeat BYU 19-16 on Saturday at Miller Park. The Mountaineers improved to 22-4 overall and 4-3 in Big 12 play, while the Cougars dropped to 14-11 and 4-5 in the conference.
West Virginia’s offense exploded for a season-high 20 hits, with senior Kyle West leading the way with four hits and three RBIs. Senior Jace Rinehart had a standout performance, driving in six runs, including a home run, while sophomore Armani Guzman added a homer and four RBIs. Junior Logan Sauve also contributed with a home run, two RBIs, and four runs scored.
Guzman got WVU on the board early with a three-run homer in the second inning, followed by another RBI single in the third. Sauve added a solo shot, and freshman Gavin Kelly and senior Grant Hussey each hit run-scoring doubles as the Mountaineers jumped to a 7-0 lead.
However, BYU quickly turned the game around, scoring five runs in the third inning and erupting for 10 more in the fourth to take a commanding 15-7 lead.
The Mountaineers responded immediately with a six-run rally in the fifth, all coming with two outs. RBI singles from Sam Barnett and Sauve, followed by clutch two-run hits from West and Rinehart, trimmed the deficit to just two runs.
In the seventh inning, Rinehart gave WVU the lead with a three-run opposite-field home run, his team-leading fifth of the season. The Mountaineers extended their advantage in the eighth, scoring three more runs on RBI singles from Barnett, West, and Rinehart.
BYU mounted a late threat in the ninth inning, bringing the tying run to the plate, but sophomore Chase Meyer shut the door, securing his first save of the season.
Despite the high-scoring affair, freshman Mac Stiffler made a significant impact on the mound, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts to keep WVU in contention. Graduate student Jack Kartsonas added three strikeouts over 2.1 innings before handing the ball to Meyer. The trio of pitchers combined to allow just one run on three hits over the final five innings, helping West Virginia seal the victory.
The 80 combined runs across the three-game series set a new Big 12 season high, surpassing the 63 runs scored between Arizona and TCU earlier in March.
West Virginia will return to action on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup at Ohio State, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. The Mountaineers will then host Pitt on Wednesday for the first installment of the Backyard Brawl this season.
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