MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 16, 2023) – The West Virginia baseball team brings its six-game winning streak to UNC Greensboro this weekend for three games with the Spartans. Due to expected rain in the forecast, Friday’s game has been moved to a 1 p.m. start while Saturday will begin at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Mountaineers are coming off an explosive two-game set at Appalachian State in which they scored 18 runs in each contest. Freshman Ellis Garcia had seven hits including his first-career home run while sophomore JJ Wetherholt added five hits and six RBI in the two games.
WVU pitching was also strong against App State. On Tuesday, five pitchers combined to give up just one run while striking out 14 while on Wednesday, three relievers combined to throw 6.1 scoreless innings.
On the season, Wetherholt leads the team with .463 batting average, nine doubles, 22 runs scored, 22 RBI, and 16 stolen bases in just 16 games. Redshirt-senior Caleb McNeely is hitting .340 with four home runs, and 13 RBI.
On the mound, fifth-year senior Blaine Traxel is 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA and 25 strikeouts in an NCAA-leading 31.0 innings pitched. Junior Ben Hampton has a 3.70 ERA and 21 strikeouts while sophomore Grant Siegel has 13 strikeouts in 17.2 innings pitched.
UNCG enters the weekend with a 10-7 record after falling to NC A&T on Tuesday. Head coach Billy Godwin has a career-record of 400-281-1 at both East Carolina and UNCG, which includes an 83-67 record in four seasons with the Spartans.
UNCG was picked to finish third in the SoCon Preseason Coaches’ Poll and fourth in the media poll. The Spartans also received a first-place vote in the coaches’ poll and two by the media.
Third baseman Mitchell Smith and outfielder Kennedy Jones were both named to the SoCon Preseason First Team while catcher Dallas Callahan was named to the second team. Smith leads the team with a .397 batting average and 19 RBI while Rowan Watt has a team-high three home runs.
On the mound, Jake Wolf has a 3.29 ERA in 27.1 innings out of the bullpen to lead the team. Jay Miller has started four times and has a 4.07 ERA.
The Mountaineers and Spartans have met just once before on the diamond, a 21-11 win for WVU in Greensboro back in 1991
