MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — It’s time to Brawl. The Backyard Brawl is renewed for the first time in 2023 on the diamond at PNC Park.
The Mountaineers will take on the Pitt Panthers at the home of Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates for the third time in program history.
Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.
West Virginia vs. Pitt game information
- Date: Wednesday, April 19, 2023
- Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- West Virginia record: 25-11
- Pitt record: 16-18
- All-time series: West Virginia leads the all-time series 114-91
- Last meeting: WVU defeated Pitt 9-1 on May 10, 2022, in Granville
- First pitch: 6:00 p.m. ET
- Stream: ACCNX
- Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network
- WVU probable starter: RHP Carson Estridge (2-0, 0.93 ERA)
- Pitt probable starter: RHP Matthew Fernandez (1-2, 4.26 ERA)
West Virginia vs. Pitt preview
Wednesday marks the 206th all-time meeting between West Virginia and Pitt on the diamond. The series dates back to 1895. West Virginia has won 15 of the last 21 meetings since the start of the 2012 campaign.
West Virginia is also undefeated against the Panthers at PNC Park, the site of this week’s game. WVU took two of three contests against Pitt last season.
Both teams are coming off impressive series wins over the weekend. West Virginia was one inning away from recording a sweep of No. 18 Oklahoma State in Stillwater. Pitt defended its home field against a Top 10 Virginia team, winning two of the three games in the series.
Freshman Carson Estridge makes his first collegiate start on the mound for the Mountaineers. Estridge has pitched well thus far in his first season of college baseball. Last year, Aidan Major made his first college start on the very same mound. He didn’t allow a hit in three scoreless innings on the bump.
West Virginia’s midseason All-American JJ Wetherholt is still considered day-to-day due to a hand injury he suffered on Friday against Oklahoma State. He did not appear in either game on Saturday or Sunday.
Tevin Tucker has been on a tear at the plate as of late. He has recorded multiple hits in four of his last six games, and has reached base in 26 consecutive games. Caleb McNeely has recorded a hit in 11 of the last 12 contests. Landon Wallace is riding a 10-game hitting streak, and has reached base in 18 straight contests. Freshman Logan Sauve has also quietly pieced together a seven-game hitting streak.
Pitt ranks eighth in the nation with 220 walks drawn this season. However, the Panthers’ 6.67 team ERA ranks 212th in Division I college baseball.
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. West Virginia is 16-7 away from Monongalia County Ballpark this year.
