CHARLESTON, W.Va. — WVU Tech baseball split a non-conference doubleheader with West Virginia Wesleyan Tuesday at GoMart Ballpark, falling 5-2 in the opener before erupting for a 12-1 victory in the nightcap.
The Golden Bears move to 7-13 overall on the season.
Game 1 – West Virginia Wesleyan 5, WVU Tech 2
West Virginia Wesleyan struck early and maintained control to take the opener.
The Bobcats scored three runs in the first inning to build an early advantage before WVU Tech answered in the bottom half. Angel Leiva singled and later scored when Nolan Copeland delivered an RBI single to center, trimming the deficit to 3-1.
Wesleyan added another run in the third before the Golden Bears pushed across a run in the fourth. Cody Cooper doubled to lead off the inning and came home when JJ Polvinale reached on an error, cutting the margin to 4-2.
The Bobcats added an insurance run in the fifth and held Tech scoreless the rest of the way to secure the win. WVU Tech collected eight hits in the game, led by Copeland and Gabe Templeton, who each recorded two hits.
Game 2 – WVU Tech 12, West Virginia Wesleyan 1
The Golden Bears responded in dominant fashion in the nightcap, exploding for six runs in the first inning and six more in the fourth.
After Wesleyan grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, WVU Tech answered immediately. Nate Wolfe drove in the tying run with a walk before Carson Crigger delivered a two-run single. Carson Brown followed with an RBI walk, and Brayden Kiblinger added a sacrifice fly as the Golden Bears surged ahead 6-1.
WVU Tech put the game away in the fourth inning. Wolfe lined a two-run double, Crigger added an RBI double, and Kiblinger and Mason Everhart each contributed run-scoring hits during the six-run frame.
Crigger finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Wolfe drove in three runs and scored twice. Zachary Hunt scored twice and added two RBIs, while Brown reached base four times and scored once.
On the mound, Cole Brown earned the win with two innings of work as five Golden Bear pitchers combined to limit Wesleyan to just five hits and one run.
Golden Bear Highlights
Game 1
Game 2
Season Leaders
Through 20 games, Angel Leiva leads WVU Tech with a .327 batting average, while Jake Tompkins paces the team with 23 RBIs and two home runs. Maddex Sims and Tompkins share the team lead with 17 hits.
On the mound, Cameron Lynch leads the Golden Bears with 23 strikeouts in 24 innings, while Jonas Franti has been dominant in relief with 13 strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA in 10 innings pitched.
What's Next
WVU Tech returns to River States Conference play this weekend when the Golden Bears host Brescia University beginning Friday at Linda K. Epling Stadium in Beckley.
