MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Playing after a series loss for the first time this season, West Virginia was searching for a spark in its first of three matchups this season with Marshall on Tuesday night at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
The Mountaineers found one in the form of freshman right-handed pitcher Drew Hagen.
In his fifth appearance and fourth start this season, Hagen logged four scoreless innings and held the Herd to one hit, providing a lift for the Mountaineers as they notched their 20th win this season, 7-0.
“It’s really composure and handling the moment what makes him so special,” WVU head coach Steve Sabins said. “We have pitchers on this team that have as much arm talent, but when you go to the mound, being able to stay cool and calm and be the same guy, really the mindset is the biggest difference for David.”
West Virginia (20-3) recorded its second shutout this season and first in 11 home games.
Hagen hardly encountered trouble and retired the Herd (12-13) in order in the top of the first inning. He returned to the mound in the second with a 1-0 lead after WVU drew three straight base-on-balls off MU starting pitcher Fenix DiGiacomo and Skylar King brought in Gavin Kelly with a sacrifice fly.
Chase Swain’s solo home run to lead off the home half of the second doubled the Mountaineer advantage after Hagen had worked another perfect inning.
“Me, [Jimmy Roesinger] and Jedd Gyorko discussed certain things. They actually told me to be on the fastball today and look for a heater, which that was a changeup that popped out of the hand,” Swain said. “I kind of put my nose on it, was a little out front and caught the barrel and was lucky enough to hit it out of the yard. I don’t try to be a guy that sits on anything. You can kind of get in trouble hitting that way. Hitting is chasing the best swing you can every day, so just trying to be consistent.”
The Mountaineers seized complete control in the third after Kyle West drew a four-pitch walk and Jace Rinehart followed with a single. King then connected for a run-scoring single and stole second, with Rinehart stealing home on the throw down to make it 4-0.
Run-scoring singles from Swain and Armani Guzman followed in that inning, the latter of which came off relief pitcher Alex McKay, who was facing his first batter at that point.
Hagen allowed a leadoff single in the fourth but nothing else, and with the Mountaineers in front by six to start the fifth, he was removed in favor of Tyler Hutson.
“Kind of a mix of everything,” Hagen said of what worked for him. “We threw a lot of changeups, especially to righties. I was working on that this week, especially when I’m behind in counts.”
Two days after suffering the loss Sunday against Arizona, Hutson worked a pair of scoreless innings with two strikeouts, allowing two hits in the process.
“He gave up a big home run and was disappointed with that, but we trust him and he got right back on the horse,” Sabins said. “It was really fun to see what he did.”
With WVU still leading 6-0, Hutson gave way to Mac Stiffler, who logged a scoreless seventh. Robby Porco then pitched the eighth, before Big Bend native and Gilmer County High School graduate Bryant Yoak took over on the mound to start the ninth.
Yoak struck out the only batter he faced in Ethan Murdoch, and Bridgeport native Ben McDougal recorded the final two outs to keep the shutout intact.
Gavin Kelly’s single in the eighth brought in the Mountaineers’ seventh and final run.
DiaGiacomo took the loss after allowing six runs on four hits over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out one and issued five walks.
“They’re a good baseball team and when you help them out like we did early in the game, they’re going to score some runs,” Marshall head coach Greg Beals said. “Give their pitching staff credit, but we need to muster up a little better. We were a little tentative offensively and didn’t have a real strong offensive mindset. We had a couple opportunities and maybe if we could get a two-out hit here or there, we could get something going, but we just weren’t able to get anything going today.”
Herd freshman Kenyon Collins, a former standout at Cabell Midland High School, pitched a scoreless eighth.
Hutson was credited with the win.
Rinehart, Swain and Guzman recorded two hits apiece, while King and Swain each drove in a pair of runs.
WVU played without two of its top hitters in Logan Sauve and Sam White.
Sabins noted Sauve is battling shoulder inflammation and he’s hopeful for a return in the upcoming three-game series at BYU. The outlook isn’t as optimistic for White.
“He dislocated his shoulder and with that comes more time,” Sabins said. “Don’t know exactly what that means, but probably a longer timeframe for Sam White. I would imagine not ready this weekend and begin more physical therapy, treatment and that kind of stuff.”
WVU has won nine of its last 10 matchups with the Herd. The teams are scheduled to square off again in Huntington on April 15 and then again in Charleston on April 30.
The Mountaineers are back in action Thursday when they start a three-game set at BYU.