Saturday, February 14
Statesboro, Ga.
2:00 PM
West Virginia University
2-0
11
at
10
Georgia Southern
0-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
West Virginia
7
0
0
3
0
0
0
1
0
11
12
2
Georgia Southern
0
4
0
2
0
1
3
0
0
10
13
2
Mountaineers Sweep Doubleheader, Series from Georgia Southern
February 14, 2026 11:53 PM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. – The West Virginia University baseball team took both games of a doubleheader against Georgia Southern on Saturday to sweep the opening series of the season. The Mountaineers won game one, 11-10, before claiming victory in game two, 5-2.
Senior Matthew Graveline had a big day with a home run and three RBI in both games. Sophomore Matt Ineich had two hits and two RBI in game one before reaching base five times in game two with three hits and two walks. Graduate student Sean Smith had two hits and an RBI in game one against his former team while sophomore Gavin Kelly collected four hits on the day, three of which went for two bases.
In game one, junior Chase Meyer earned the win on the mound with 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, striking out three, while senior Carson Estridge picked up the save with 1.1 scoreless innings.
In game two, junior Dawson Montesa struck out seven while walking none in 6.0 innings to earn the win. Redshirt-sophomore Bryson Thacker and sophomore David Hagen each put up scoreless outings while freshman David Perez was dominant in the ninth, needing just seven pitches while striking out two to earn his first save.
The Mountaineers got off to a fast start in game one as they put up a seven spot in the first inning. Kelly led off the game with a double and came around to score on a wild pitch. After a run-scoring groundout, senior Paul Schoenfeld singled home another to make it 3-0.
Schoenfeld then had the most exciting play of the day as he executed a straight steal of home. Senior Ben Lumsden followed with an RBI single before Ineich drove in two with an infield single as junior Tyrus Hall never stopped running from second base.
Georgia Southern got back into the contest with four runs in the second. The Mountaineers extended their lead back to six with three runs in the fourth which included a two-run home run from Graveline. Smith also added an RBI single.
The Eagles fought back with two runs in the fourth and four in the seventh even up the game.
In the eighth, Kelly got the lead back as he hit a double and then stole third. When the throw down got past the third baseman, Kelly scampered on home.
After Estridge got out of an inherited mess in the eighth, he worked himself into his own jam in the ninth as GSU loaded the bases with two outs. James McCoy hit a chopper over the mound where Ineich rushed in to make the running play and get the out at first.
In game two, Kelly once again started the game with a first-pitch double before coming home to score on a single by Ineich. In the second inning, Graveline mashed his second home run of the day, a solo shot to left center.
Montesa started the game by striking out the side in the first. He gave up two runs in the second before finishing the night with four scoreless innings. His outing ended in the sixth when Graveline showed off his arm in right field, cutting down the go-ahead run at the plate to end the inning.
The Mountaineers took the lead in the seventh as Kelly singled before four walks forced in two runs.
The Eagles looked like they tied the game in the eighth as a throw from Kelly hit the runner on a potential 1-2-3 double play, allowing two runs to score, but after review, the runner was ruled out of the baseline and called for obstruction, ending the inning with no runs on the board.
Graveline added an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth.
The Mountaineers will be back on the diamond, Feb. 20-22, against Liberty. First pitch from Lynchburg on Friday is set for 4 p.m.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Senior Matthew Graveline had a big day with a home run and three RBI in both games. Sophomore Matt Ineich had two hits and two RBI in game one before reaching base five times in game two with three hits and two walks. Graduate student Sean Smith had two hits and an RBI in game one against his former team while sophomore Gavin Kelly collected four hits on the day, three of which went for two bases.
In game one, junior Chase Meyer earned the win on the mound with 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, striking out three, while senior Carson Estridge picked up the save with 1.1 scoreless innings.
In game two, junior Dawson Montesa struck out seven while walking none in 6.0 innings to earn the win. Redshirt-sophomore Bryson Thacker and sophomore David Hagen each put up scoreless outings while freshman David Perez was dominant in the ninth, needing just seven pitches while striking out two to earn his first save.
The Mountaineers got off to a fast start in game one as they put up a seven spot in the first inning. Kelly led off the game with a double and came around to score on a wild pitch. After a run-scoring groundout, senior Paul Schoenfeld singled home another to make it 3-0.
Schoenfeld then had the most exciting play of the day as he executed a straight steal of home. Senior Ben Lumsden followed with an RBI single before Ineich drove in two with an infield single as junior Tyrus Hall never stopped running from second base.
Georgia Southern got back into the contest with four runs in the second. The Mountaineers extended their lead back to six with three runs in the fourth which included a two-run home run from Graveline. Smith also added an RBI single.
The Eagles fought back with two runs in the fourth and four in the seventh even up the game.
In the eighth, Kelly got the lead back as he hit a double and then stole third. When the throw down got past the third baseman, Kelly scampered on home.
After Estridge got out of an inherited mess in the eighth, he worked himself into his own jam in the ninth as GSU loaded the bases with two outs. James McCoy hit a chopper over the mound where Ineich rushed in to make the running play and get the out at first.
In game two, Kelly once again started the game with a first-pitch double before coming home to score on a single by Ineich. In the second inning, Graveline mashed his second home run of the day, a solo shot to left center.
Montesa started the game by striking out the side in the first. He gave up two runs in the second before finishing the night with four scoreless innings. His outing ended in the sixth when Graveline showed off his arm in right field, cutting down the go-ahead run at the plate to end the inning.
The Mountaineers took the lead in the seventh as Kelly singled before four walks forced in two runs.
The Eagles looked like they tied the game in the eighth as a throw from Kelly hit the runner on a potential 1-2-3 double play, allowing two runs to score, but after review, the runner was ruled out of the baseline and called for obstruction, ending the inning with no runs on the board.
Graveline added an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth.
The Mountaineers will be back on the diamond, Feb. 20-22, against Liberty. First pitch from Lynchburg on Friday is set for 4 p.m.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Meyer, Chase (1-0)
L: Garrett, Ethan (0-1)
S: Estridge, Carson (1)
Batting:
2B: Kelly, Gavin 2
HR: Graveline, Matthew 1
RBI: Graveline, Matthew 3 ; Smith, Sean 1 ; Ineich, Matt 2 ; Lumsden, Ben 1 ; Schoenfeld, Paul 1
SH: Lumsden, Ben 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Graveline, Matthew 1 ; Smith, Sean 1 ; Kresser, Brodie 1 ; Ineich, Matt 1 ; Kelly, Gavin 2 ; Lumsden, Ben 1 ; Guzman, Armani 2 ; Schoenfeld, Paul 1 ; Hall, Tyrus 1
SB: Kresser, Brodie 1 ; Kelly, Gavin 1 ; Guzman, Armani 2 ; Schoenfeld, Paul 2
HBP: Smith, Sean 1 ; Kresser, Brodie 1 ; Ineich, Matt 1
Batting:
2B: Senese, Nico 1 ; White, Sean 1 ; Trammell, Bryson 1 ; McCoy, James 1
HR: Davis, John 1
RBI: Senese, Nico 4 ; Davis, John 1 ; Myers, Jack 2 ; McCoy, James 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thompson, Kaden 1 ; Prozny, Max 2 ; Senese, Nico 1 ; Davis, John 2 ; White, Sean 2 ; Trammell, Bryson 1 ; McCoy, James 1
SB: McCoy, James 1
HBP: Prozny, Max 1 ; Myers, Jack 1 ; McCoy, James 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
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OF
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LHP
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