STATESBORO, Ga. — Staked to an early four-run lead, freshman BJ Myers and the West Virginia bullpen couldn’t hold on at Georgia Southern, leading to a 7-4 loss in Friday’s opener of a three-game series.
West Virginia (2-2), which looked to be headed for a big offensive day after scoring four in the second, finished with only five hits, none after the fourth inning when Eagles relievers retired 14 of the final 16 batters.
The Mountaineers’ bullpen, and Adam Keller (0-1) in particular, wasn’t so effective. Keller entered with a 4-2 lead in the fifth, allowed an inherited runner to score and surrendered four more during the sixth. Hunter Thomas launched the game-tying solo homer before Will Hudgins’ two-run single scored the go-ahead runs for Georgia Southern (4-1).
The outburst made a winner of Caleb Pressey (1-0), who pitched a hitless 1 2/3 innings.
“I was proud of the way we responded after the four-run second inning,” said Georgia Southern coach Rodney Hennon. “I thought our guys stayed poised and just kept battling.
“The guys out of the bullpen did a great job. Caleb Pressey threw the ball well, and Chris Brown did a nice job closing it out.”
The Mountaineers set the stage for the big second inning with consecutive singles by third baseman Justin Fox, second baseman Shaun Corso and designated hitter Kyle Davis to lead 1-0. As catcher Ray Guerrini bunted over Corso and Davis, Eagles pitcher Evan Challenger threw wildly toward first base and WVU led 2-0.
Centerfielder KC Huth then drove in Davis with an RBI groundout and shortstop Taylor Munden drove in Guerrini with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Georgia Southern began its comeback in the third inning as the freshman Myers allowed the first three batters to reach before Chase Griffin’s sac-fly and Thomas’ RBI single made it 4-2. Those runs ended Myers’ string of 8 1/3 scoreless innings to open his career.
The Eagles cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth when Kody Adams belted a leadoff triple to center and later scored after Keller replaced Myers. After things unraveled in the sixth, Keller was tagged for four runs on three hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.
GSU’s Chris Brown struck out two in a perfect ninth for his second save.
West Virginia and Georgia Southern return to action on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Mountaineers plan to start junior left-hander Ross Vance (0-1) against right-hander Adam Kelly (0-0).