It should be fun...

MSNsportsNET Wrote:Mountaineers Face Difficult Road Test
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
April 23, 2009

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University baseball team heads to Tampa, Fla., for a crucial three-game series at BIG EAST leader USF on April 24-26 at Red McEwen Field. First pitch is set for Friday evening at 7 p.m., followed by another 7 p.m. contest on Saturday. Both teams wrap up the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Mountaineers (28-9, 11-4) enter the weekend tied with preseason BIG EAST favorite Louisville for second place in the conference. The Bulls (24-15, 12-3) lead both teams by one game after taking two of three games at Villanova last weekend.

WVU holds the conference’s highest winning percentage (.757) despite carrying a season-high two game losing streak after falling to Notre Dame in two of three games. The Mountaineers have consecutive losses for the first time since losing back-to-back games against Minnesota and Illinois on Feb. 21-22 at the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge.

WVU, which had its last game canceled against Ohio on Wednesday, continues to lead the BIG EAST in an array of offensive categories. The Mountaineers are first in the conference in batting average (.363), slugging percentage (.571), on base percentage (.450), runs scored (366), hits (467) and home runs (47).

The latest NCAA rankings reveal WVU as the country’s leader in doubles (113) and sacrifice bunts (62). It also averages 9.9 runs per game to rank third in the nation. Vince Belnome and Jedd Gyorko lead the Mountaineers with 19 doubles apiece.

WVU boasts a 6-3 road mark in conference play, and an 8-4 overall record away from Hawley Field.

Friday starter Jarryd Summers is coming off his third consecutive victory after holding the Fighting Irish to two earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in seven innings. The Sharpsville, Pa., native is tied with Louisville’s Justin Marks for first in the BIG EAST with six victories, and boasts 64 strikeouts in 62.1 innings pitched.

Right-hander Billy Gross will make his eighth start of the season this weekend. The Frederick, Md., resident is 5-3 with a 3.04 ERA, and is second on the team with 48 strikeouts. In 2008, Gross was efficient in relief against USF as he gave up one earned run on three hits in five innings in WVU’s 5-2 loss on April 6.

WVU posted two come-from-behind victories against the Bulls at Hawley Field last season. In the series opener, the Mountaineers trailed 6-1 entering the third inning and used five runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth frames to rally for a 10-8 victory.

The Mountaineers made a stronger comeback in game two after trailing 13-4 entering the bottom of the eighth. After allowing USF to score sevens runs in the frame, WVU responded with seven of its own, and eventually won in the tenth on a walk-off RBI single to right field by Jedd Gyorko.

USF has won its past two BIG EAST series over Pitt and Villanova. The Bulls are 6-4 all-time against WVU dating back to 2006. Sophomore right-hander Randy Fontanez enters the weekend at 4-3 with a team-leading 2.86 ERA in nine starts, while Derrick Stultz shows a 4-1 mark with a 3.77 ERA in eight starts.

In its last game, USF fell to No. 23 Florida, 5-4, in 10 innings.

Yep we choked in gainesville leading 4-2 in bottom of nine.

Sh!t happens, dude. You can't win 'em all...

You ain't going to win 'em all this weekend either...