The West Virginia University baseball team defeated Texas Christian University, 6-4, on May 16 to close out the regular season at Kendrick Family Ballpark. The Mountaineers improved their record to 37-13 overall and 21-9 in the Big 12 Conference, while TCU fell to 33-20 and 17-13 in conference play.
The game was marked by a late rally from West Virginia, which scored three runs in the eighth inning. The tying and go-ahead runs came on wild pitches. Graduate student Reese Bassinger earned the win after pitching 3.2 scoreless innings in relief and allowing just two hits.
Offensively, sophomore Matt Ineich, sophomore Gavin Kelly, and graduate student Paul Schoenfeld—the first three hitters in WVU’s lineup—combined for seven hits. Ineich contributed three of those hits. Graduate student Brodie Kresser reached base four times with a hit and three walks, while junior Tyrus Hall hit his fifth home run of the season.
TCU took an early lead with a run just three batters into the game and added a two-run home run in the third inning for a 3-0 advantage. In response, Kelly hit an RBI triple off the center field wall before scoring on Schoenfeld’s single to cut the deficit to one run by the end of the third inning.
Hall tied up the game with a leadoff home run in the fourth inning. The Horned Frogs regained a brief lead on an RBI single by Noah Franco in the sixth inning before West Virginia mounted its decisive comeback against TCU closer Tanner Sagouspe during rainy conditions.
Bassinger closed out his outing by issuing a one-out walk but then recording two outs to secure both the win and series victory for West Virginia.
Looking ahead, West Virginia will enter postseason play as the No. 2 seed at next week’s Big 12 Tournament. Their first game is scheduled for Thursday, May 21 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.
