Van Zant Earns 500th Victory

By Grant Dovey for WVUsports.com
April 21, 2011 11:03 PM

Shortstop Grant Buckner hit's a mammoth home run during WVU's 6-3 victory over Seton Hall on Friday.

All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Coach Greg Van Zant of the West Virginia University baseball team became only the fourth coach in school history to reach 500 wins at WVU, as the squad defeated Seton Hall, 6-3, on Thursday evening at Hawley Field.

“It’s hard to believe that time goes by that fast, that’s the thing that’s mind numbing, how fast time goes by,” Van Zant said. “I can remember 1995, our first year, Doug Little, Jon Szynal and myself were trying to piece it together after coach (Dale) Ramsburg passed away and I was just wondering if we were going to win a game.”

Joining Van Zant on the 500 win list is the late Ramsburg, who in 1992 decided that they would only play Division I teams, something that Van Zant has held true to since he took the helm in 1995.

“That’s something our program is proud of and Dale Ramsburg started that in 1992, I was his assistant,” Van Zant recalled. “He made the decision that we were going to play an all Division I schedule and he wanted to do it before, but just didn’t have the funding.”

Offensively, redshirt senior shortstop Grant Buckner led West Virginia with a 4-for-4 performance, including a home run, two runs and two RBIs. Buckner also extended his hitting streak to 17 games.

Defensively, sophomore right fielder Brady Wilson was the star of the game, recording eight putouts, including multiple diving plays in both fair and foul territories.

“He plays out there and saved us four or five runs himself running balls down,” Van Zant said of Wilson’s defensive effort. “That’s what speed does for you. To have a heckuva team, you have to have guys who can run.”

Freshman lefty Harrison Musgrave (4-2) earned the win, pitching seven innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits. Right-handed freshman Ryan Tezak came on in the eighth inning to pitch the final two innings and recorded his third save of the season.

West Virginia (23-15, 9-4) scored six runs on 13 hits and one error, with Seton Hall scoring three runs on six hits and one error. The 13 hits is the second-highest total in conference play this season, falling one short of the 14 in game one at Louisville.

Buckner got the scoring started with a leadoff home run to left field in bottom of the second. The mammoth shot was Buckner’s team-leading sixth of the season.

After Buckner’s blast, West Virginia reeled off four consecutive hits from freshman Ryan McBroom, redshirt freshman T.J. Kuban, sophomore Matt Malloy and redshirt senior Mark Dvoroznak, with Dvoroznak’s driving in McBroom to bring the score to 2-0.

Seton Hall was able to get one run back in the top of the third, but the Mountaineers came back in the bottom half of the inning and extended the lead to 4-1.

Redshirt junior Dan DiBartolomeo walked to lead off, followed by three consecutive singles from Buckner, redshirt senior Jeremy Gum and McBroom to load the bases. McBroom’s single drove in DiBartolomeo, followed by sophomore Chris Rasky’s sacrifice fly to left field that drove in Buckner.

The Pirates added two in the top of the seventh to cut the WVU lead to 4-3 after Zack Granite hit a bunt single that Musgrave threw wildly over the first baseman McBroom’s head at first, scoring Ryan Sullivan from first and advancing Granite to third. Granite scored on the next at bat with a single to left field by A.J. Rusbarsky.

Buckner recorded his second RBI of the evening in bottom of the seventh with a single to right field that drove in senior Justin McDavid, who led off the frame with a double to left center.

Malloy added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when he was driven in by a sacrifice fly from McDavid to bring the score to 6-3.

Seton Hall starter Greg Terhune went two innings, allowing eight hits and four runs. Brian Gilbert pitched 4.1 innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits.

Offensively the Pirates were led by Granite and Rusbarsky, who each went 2 for 5. Granite also scored two runs, while Rusbarsky drove in one.

The teams will be back in action tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. Live statistics will be available on MSNsportsNET.com, while the game will be broadcasted by U92.

Tags
Mountaineer baseball, Greg Van Zant, 500 wins