West Virginia drops three in a row to end Snowbird Classic

Following an 8-2 victory against Bowling Green Thursday, the West Virginia baseball team dropped three-straight games to close out the Snowbird Classic in Punta Gorda, Fla.

Sophomore pitcher Jordan Foley threw his first career complete game for Central Michigan as the Chippewas topped the Mountaineers 4-1 Friday.

The win pushed Foley’s record to 3-0 on the season, while Harrison Musgrave pitched 5.1 innings in a losing effort for the Mountaineers.

WVU scored its only run when Max Nogay came home after a wild pitch in the bottom of the third inning, the only blemish on a day when Jordan Foley kept Mountaineer hitters guessing from start to finish.

John Means continued to add to what has been a strong season thus far as he pitched eight scoreless innings for the Mountaineers against Maine Saturday.

The trouble started for WVU when Means left the game with a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Scott Heath singled home the tying run for the Black Bears in the bottom of the ninth, forcing the game into extra innings.

WVU was never able to push a run across in extra innings, while the Black Bears got a walk-off win in the bottom of the 12th on a single by junior Mike Connolly.

Sunday produced a matchup of Big 12 against Big 10 as the Mountaineers took on the Iowa Hawkeyes to wrap up the Snowbird Classic.

Dan Dierdorff got the start for the Mountaineers and pitched 6.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits while registering three strikeouts.

Iowa’s offense struggled early on, as WVU held a 3-2 lead through six innings. The Hawkeyes seemed to wake up as the game progressed, and they scored runs in the top of the seventh and eighth innings to grab a 4-3 lead.

West Virginia’s offense found its stride as the game progressed as well, registering the game tying run on a Brady Wilson sacrifice fly and bringing home Alan Filauro, who got the inning started with a one out single to right field.

For the second straight day, the Mountaineers went to extra innings, and for the second straight day, the 12th inning produced the winning run for their opponent.

With runners on second and third with one out in the top of the 12th, first baseman Blake Hickman hit a two-run single to left field, giving Iowa a 6-4 lead.

Taylor Munden started the bottom of the 12th by grounding out to the pitcher for WVU. Down to their final two outs, Billy Fleming gave WVU a glimmer of hope with a one-out single.

Alan Filauro followed Fleming with a single of his own, producing a first and third scenario with one out.

With the game on the line, Iowa pitcher Nick Hibbing induced a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Michael Constantini to end the game.

The 6-4 loss brings the Mountaineers’ record to 6-9 for the season, and they will look to rebound in their next game at Pitt Tuesday at 3 p.m.