MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Seven games into his tenure as WVU’s head coach, Steve Sabins has not yet tasted defeat leading the Mountaineers. Back-to-back series sweeps at Jacksonville and Lipscomb make up a 7-0 start for the West Virginia University baseball team. It is the best start for the program since 1966.
“It has been great. The staff has been wonderful. I am learning as I go, making decisions and figuring out how to go. But the staff has been incredible in prepping me before the games and scouting reports, in-game pitching decisions. Coach [Justin] Oney is calling pitches for the team. It is a large staff that is really, really good at what they do. They prepare like mad men,” Sabins said on Monday’s edition of the Citynet Statewide Sportsline.
“You get into the game and there’s options and decisions that have to be made. But most of those had been thought about before the game began. You just try to make sure that when the opportunities present themselves, that you take advantage of them.”
In Monday’s 5-4, 10-inning win over Lipscomb, junior Sam White delivered the game-winning home run for West Virginia. White had six hits in the four-game series and at least one hit in each game.
“That was a big knock for Sammy White. He’s a junior and he has been a leader and such a great player for us for a really long time. He struggled a little bit the opening weekend. So to see him come back and have a big week was awesome for him.”
In West Virginia’s 7-0 start, 16 position players and 15 pitchers have made at least once appearance.
“We’ve had a lot of players contribute in a lot of different ways. That part has been fun. It has made managing the games exciting because there’s a lot of moving pieces and we have a lot of talented players.”
Tarleton State transfer and senior pitcher Reese Bassinger leads the pitching staff with four appearances. He has allowed one run in 8.1 innings of work.
“He’s had the ball in just about every big moment so far. Reese, in seven games, has three saves.
“[Monday], he came in in a tie game and then we ended up winning the game. So he has three saves and a win in seven games. That’s a massive impact, as large of an impact as anybody could possibly have in seven games and in very tight games.”
West Virginia hosts Ohio (1-5) Wednesday at 2 p.m. in their home opener. On Thursday, the Mountaineers head south for their final non-conference weekend trip. WVU will play four games against Queens College (2-3) from Friday-Monday. The Charlotte-based school will host the games at three different parks around the Charlotte metroplex.
“There’s two different pro parks, and then we play at their park as well. There’s a couple beautiful venues in minor league stadiums against Queens. West Virginia always has an incredible fanbase in that Charlotte area. We’re excited to see the Mountaineer fans come out and support the boys.”