Winners of six of its last eight games, the WVU baseball team will host Kansas State (16-21, 2-10 Big 12) in a three-game series beginning at 6:30 p.m. today, at Monongalia County Ballpark.
The Mountaineers (17-17, 2-7) enter the weekend ranked No. 25 in the latest NCAA RPI after a 9-2 win over Canisius on Wednesday.
WVU has the No. 2 strength of schedule in the country and is one of five Big 12 teams in the top 38 of the RPI.
WVU is No. 2 in the Big 12 and No. 24 nationally with 60 stolen bases, while WVU and ranks third with 0.88 home runs per game. On the mound, WVU’s 1.88 strikeouts-to-walk ratio is No. 4 in the Big 12.
Individually, Braden Zarbnisky leads the league and is No. 6 nationally with an average of 1.07 walks per game. He also is second in the Big 12 and No. 20 in the NCAA with 0.59 stolen bases per game. Darius Hill is 26th nationally with 14 doubles.
The Wildcats are coming off a 4-3 win at Nebraska, which snapped a nine-game losing streak. The three-game series this weekend is part of an eight-game roadtrip for Kansas State.
Two senior right-handers will take the mound on Friday, as WVU’s B.J. Myers (0-1, 5.08 ERA) faces K-State’s Justin Heskett (2-5, 6.34).
On Saturday, it’s a pair of sophomore righties, as Kade Strowd (3-3, 4.83) goes for the Mountaineers and Caleb Littlejim (2-1, 6.55) takes the mound for the Wildcats.
Tickets for all three games are available at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU GAME, at the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum or on game day at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Tennis
WVU will conclude its regular season this weekend with a pair of matches against No. 13 Texas Tech, on Friday, and TCU, on Sunday.
Weather depending, both matches will take place at the Mountaineer Tennis Courts. In case of inclement weather, the matches will be moved indoors to the Summit Tennis Academy. Friday’s match will begin at 5 p.m., while Sunday’s contest is set for 11 a.m.
Free pizza and WVU Tennis posters will be available to all fans attending the match on Friday. Fans also are encouraged to stay after the match for an autograph signing with the team.
On Sunday, WVU will honor its seniors, Lyn Yuen Choo and Yvon Martinez. All fans in attendance will be able to get free bagels and WVU tennis posters. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats 10 minutes prior to the match to help recognize the seniors for their outstanding accomplishments.
“Just like anyone in the Big 12, they are tough,” fifth-year coach Miha Lisac said. “Texas Tech is one of the best teams in the Big 12 and one of the best teams in the nation, so we are always excited to have an opportunity to challenge ourselves against that level of competition.”
Choo currently sits at No. 14 in school history with 114 career wins in both singles and doubles play, and is tied for No. 15 in singles wins in her career. Despite sitting out the majority of her senior season due to a knee injury, Martinez has amassed 58 career wins.
Men’s soccer
WVU has added a spring exhibition match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the United Soccer League (USL) on Tuesday, April 24.
Kickoff at Highmark Stadium, in Pittsburgh, is set for 7:45 p.m. Admission will be free.
“This will be a fun opportunity for our team to play a professional team in a terrific setting for soccer,” WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. “We’ve shown progress as a team this spring, and playing the Riverhounds will be a great test. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Prior to its trip to Pittsburgh, WVU plays host to VCU, at 3 p.m. Saturday.
The match will be held at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, and admission is free.
WVU opened the spring season with a 1-0 win over Charleston and followed it with a 2-0 victory against West Virginia Wesleyan.
Rifle
Sophomore Morgan Phillips and freshman Sarah Osborn of the WVU rifle team earned a pair of podium finishes, at the 2018 National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships for Rifle and Pistol, at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Col.
Phillips, a native of Salisbury, Maryland, finished first in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions with a final total of 2,333.
The two-time reigning NCAA smallbore champion shot 1,170 on the first day of competition and 1,155 on the second day, giving her a match total of 2325, 12-shots better than second place. Phillips shot a winning 453.6 in the final on April 16, earning eight additional points and bringing her final score to 2333.
Osborn, a Hampton, Virginia, native, placed second in the women’s 10m air rifle with a 1246.5 total. She finished with daily marks of 622.2 and 622.3 and placed fifth in the final on April 18 with a 183.4 mark, earning two additional points.
By virtue of their finishes, the duo has qualified for the United States Junior National Team and has earned the right to compete in their respective events at the 52nd ISSF Junior World Championship, in Changwon, Korea on Aug. 31.
