MORGANTOWN — WVU baseball coach Randy Mazey held a Zoom call with reporters Wednesday. He didn’t have to wait for the first question.
“The obvious question is how is J.J.?” Mazey began. “It’s too early to tell. Tests were done (Tuesday), and we’re just waiting for the results of those. We’ll take it day by day.”
J.J. Wetherholt injured his hamstring Monday, while scoring on a rundown in a game against Stetson.
WVU’s star shortstop was pulled from the rest of that game and likely won’t play this weekend, as the Mountaineers (2-2) travel to Charlotte (2-2), which played in the NCAA tournament last season.
Wetherholt is coming off a season in which he led the nation with a .449 batting average, while also hitting 16 home runs and stealing 36 bases.
He first pulled a hamstring over the summer, while playing in the Cape Cod League, but Mazey did not want to confirm if this was the same leg.
Other key injuries include pitchers Derek Clark and Robby Porco. Mazey said Clark was projected as a weekend starter, while Porco was also projected to be a key figure in the rotation. Mazey had no timetable on when they could return.
Subbing in for Wetherholt for the time being will be junior-college transfer Brodie Kresser.
“That’ll probably be the plan,” Mazey said. “Ironically, the first pitch after J.J. got hurt was a ground ball to the shortstop and (Kresser) made a nice play. He made several nice plays on the weekend. I’m very comfortable with him there.”
Kresser appeared in all four games of the opening series, playing both second base and center field, before filling in for Wetherholt at shortstop.
He was 3 for 14 against Stetson with a home run and three RBIs.
Kresser is in his first season with the Mountaineers. Over two seasons at Des Moines (Iowa) Area Community College, he batted .339 with 14 home runs, 87 RBIs, 30 doubles and 22 stolen bases in 109 games.
WVU entered the season already having to tinker with its infield rotation, beginning with Wetherholt moving from second base to shortstop.
Ellis Garcia will rotate between third base and second base, while Houston Christian transfer Reed Chumley will also play third base.
Grant Hussey at first base is the only WVU regular who isn’t playing a new position.
With all the changes, WVU’s infielders did not commit an error over the first four games.
“We went down there and not to make any errors is probably the best defensive opening weekend we ever had,” Mazey said. “To play error-free is one thing, but to do it on grass and dirt on a field we haven’t been on is pretty impressive.”
WVU’s home opener at Mon County Ballpark is scheduled for Feb. 28 against Canisius. It’s possible Wetherholt could be back in action for that game.
He missed five games last season with a fractured thumb.
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