MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Billy Gross pitched eight strong innings, retiring the last 10 batters he faced, to lead West Virginia to an 8-1 victory over Duquesne in the Mountaineers’ home opener Wednesday afternoon at Hawley Field.

“I was really happy because he started against this team last year and they got five or six runs off of him in the first inning,” West Virginia coach Greg Van Zant said. “He is so much better after a year and he has worked very hard to improve in that time. I’m really proud of him.”

Gross (1-0) took the win in his second start of the season, allowing one run on two hits while striking out eight. After allowing the games’ first run in the second inning, Gross did not give up another hit.

The Mountaineer offense performed well also, pounding out 11 total hits including Justin Parks’ two-run home run to left center field in the eighth inning.

“Our hitters are coming around. This was a really hard day to hit and I thought our hitters got out there and competed,” Van Zant said. They are getting better and I think they will improve even more as the season goes on."

The Dukes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Brian Bernardo hit an RBI groundout to first, scoring Mike Carroll. WVU responded in the bottom of the third when Jedd Gyorko’s stand up triple scored Dan DiBartolomeo from first base. Vince Belnome then slapped a double to right center, scoring DiBartolomeo and giving the Mountaineers a 2-1 lead.

Leading 3-1, WVU tacked on two runs in the sixth inning when Chris Enourato broke the game open with a run-scoring double to right center to score Belnome. Enourato then scored on a wild pitch by Duquesne reliever Jeremy Gerger to extend the West Virginia lead to 5-1.

The Mountaineers got some additional insurance in the eighth inning when Joe Agreste’s sacrifice fly scored Austin Markel from third. Parks’ two-run blast followed giving WVU an 8-1 lead.

Agreste and Parks led the Mountaineers with two RBI apiece. Belnome had three hits and an RBI in the game, while Gyorko and DiBartolemeo each had two hits and an RBI.

West Virginia’s Eric Saffell pitched a scoreless ninth in his second appearance of the season. Starter Matt Zarin (0-1) took the loss for Duquesne (0-7) after allowing three runs off five hits in four innings pitched.

The game, which was played with temperatures in the low 30s, was the earliest the Mountaineers have ever started a home season at Hawley Field.

West Virginia (6-3) returns to action on Friday, March 7, when it hosts Valparaiso to begin a four-game weekend series. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. Print View   Email