Columbia secured a 7-4 victory over No. 23 West Virginia (WVU) on Friday in the opening game of a three-game series at Kendrick Family Ballpark, marking the Mountaineers” second consecutive defeat. The teams are set to continue the series with Game 2 scheduled for noon today, followed by the final game at 12:30 PM on Sunday.
The Lions, now 2-5, took control early, establishing a commanding 5-0 lead by the second inning against WVU”s starting pitcher Dawson Montesa. Ben Fishel contributed a two-run double down the left field line, while teammate Jack Kail followed with a bases-loaded single that brought in two more runs. The inning concluded after Owen Estabrook added another run with a single, although Kail was thrown out at home plate attempting to score.
Columbia”s starting pitcher, Alex Sotiropoulos, earned his first win of the season, delivering a standout performance that left WVU batters puzzled. He threw 98 pitches over 5 and 1/3 innings, allowing only three hits and one earned run, alongside three walks. The Mountaineers” offense struggled significantly, managing just five hits throughout the game, a season low for them.
Three Columbia relief pitchers limited WVU to just two additional hits for the remainder of the game. Payton Soske secured his first save of the year, facing a scare in the ninth inning when he allowed a leadoff triple to WVU outfielder Brock Wills. However, Soske rebounded to strike out both Brodie Kresser and Tyrus Hall, and Matt Ineich grounded out to second base, sealing the victory for the Lions.
This game marked WVU”s first since the announcement that all-Big 12 pitcher Chase Meyer had been removed from the team earlier in the week. The Mountaineers, now 8-3, are facing their first two-game losing streak, following a narrow 7-6 loss to Kennesaw State last Sunday. Despite Meyer”s absence, the Mountaineers needed a stronger offensive showing to turn the tide in this game.
All four of West Virginia”s runs were scored without the benefit of a hit. Sean Smith scored on a groundball out, while Kresser crossed home on a throwing error in the fifth inning. Armani Guzman capitalized on a wild pitch in the sixth, and Kresser added his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Montesa”s outing was his toughest this season, as he was charged with five runs on five hits across four innings, recording three walks and striking out five. Relief pitchers Ian Korn and Reese Bassinger collectively allowed five more hits and two additional runs over five innings.
