The bats came alive for West Virginia State Baseball Saturday, as the Yellow Jackets cranked out a combined 23 hits as they swept conference foes Glenville State by scores of 13-1 and 9-5 at Cal Bailey Field.
State improves to 17-16 on the season and 9-11 in Mountain East Conference action, while GSC slips to 22-12 and an even 10-10 in league play.
Senior Michael Stone and sophomore Ryan Kay each registered five hits and four runs each on the day, including Kay’s first collegiate home run.
In Game 1, starter Chase Norris was dynamic, tossing a complete game surrendering just one walk and striking out eight.
Freshman Dante Zamudio picked up the first win of his career in Game 2, tossing three innings in relief.
GAME 1: WVSU 13, GLENVILLE 1
The Yellow Jackets cranked out 13 hits in the contest, led by a three-hit, three-run performance from Stone, including a double, and a three-run home run from Zamudio. Other multi-hit ledgers include junior Trey Junkins, Kay, and graduate student Andrew Sharp, who all had two hits apiece. Junkins also drove in three, while Sharp, Kay, and graduate student Andrew Stone each plated two runs.
State wasted no time getting on the board, scoring a run in the opening frame after A. Stone led off the contest with a walk, advanced on another free pass- this one to Junkins- and both moved up on a passed ball. Stone then came home on a wild pitch.
The Yellow Jackets added some cushion with a commanding second inning, plating seven runs off six hits. Mike Stone started the frame with a single, coming home the next at bat on a double to deep right center from Kay.
Kay then came home on a single up the middle from Junkins, and the following at bat Andrew Stone, who had walked earlier, crossed the plate on a single to shallow left from freshman Nathan Paulsen.
Zamudio was next, blasting his long ball down the left field line to also bring home Junkins and Paulsen and give State an 8-0 advantage.
The Pioneers got on the board in the fourth, but State got the run back in the bottom of that inning after Mike Stone doubled, advanced on a flyout, and scored on a Sharp single through the left side.
State added even more insurance in the sixth inning, scoring four more times.
Graduate student Matthew Kline was hit by pitch to begin the inning, advanced on a M. Stone single, and scored on another single, this one up the middle, from Kay. Stone later came home on a Christian single that dropped perfectly into left field. Kay scored on a fielder’s choice and Sharp, who singled earlier, came home on a Junkins sac fly.
GAME 2: WVSU 9, GLENVILLE 5
State again broke through first, as Kay singled, stole second, and came home on a single to center field from Christian.
The Yellow Jackets added to their lead the following frame, after Andrew Stone walked his way on (his seventh base on balls in the last two days) and came home on a Kline sac fly.
The Pioneers tied the game and subsequently took the lead in the fourth, scoring three runs on four hits, including a home run and a pair of doubles.
The lead was short lived, as Kay launched first homer of his career to even contest at 3-3 in the bottom of the frame, and then State scored four times in the fifth to add insurance and widen the gap to 7-3.
Glenville threatened, scoring twice in the sixth and leaving the bases loaded, but the Yellow Jackets responded to keep the margin at four runs after A. Stone and Junkins reached on back-to-back singles and then both scored on a throwing error.
The Yellow Jackets finished with 10 hits. Andrew Stone scored three times, while Kay and Kline each drove in three.