Home Runs Lift No. 11 West Virginia Over Utes in Rainy Series Opener

Friday, April 4

Morgantown, W.V.

4:30 p.m.

University of Utah

13-14, 2-8

West Virginia

25-4, 5-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Utah	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	7	3
West Virginia	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	3	X	6	7	1

Photo by: Sophia Kuder/Utah Athletics

Home Runs Lift No. 11 West Virginia Over Utes in Rainy Series Opener

4/4/2025 7:38 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Doubleheader scheduled for Saturday in Morgantown

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – Drake Digiorno hit his first home run of the season and Colter McAnelly struck out nine batters, but No. 11 West Virginia had four long balls of its own as the Utah baseball team fell by a 6-3 score on Friday night inside Kendrick Family Ballpark. The clubs played through light rain for much of the ballgame and even some fog in the late innings.

A schedule change was also made due to forecasted inclement weather. As a result, the series will now conclude on Saturday with a doubleheader; the twin bill begins at 11 a.m. MT and will leave Sunday as an open date for both teams.

Despite taking the loss, starting pitcher Colter McAnelly (2-2) struck out nine Mountaineers in 7.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks. It was McAnelly's fifth outing this season with seven or more punchouts and his third such start in Big 12 Conference play. He allowed three walks in the first two innings, but none of those runners scored and the sophomore did not allow another free pass until the sixth inning.

Hitting out of the leadoff spot for the second straight game, Austen Roellig went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI to extend his hitting streak to five games. Digiorno got the nod at first base, scoring twice in a two-hit night. Jake Long doubled and scored as well.

McAnelly worked out of a two-on, one-out situation in the first inning before Digiorno's homer in the second frame put Utah on the board. It came with one out as Digiorno turned on a 1-0 pitch to send it over the left field wall.

West Virginia took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning on back-to-back solo shots with two outs. Another homer for the Mountaineers in the fifth gave WVU a 3-1 lead.

In both the fourth and fifth innings, Utah put a runner in scoring position—including with one out in the fifth—but were unable to capitalize.

The breakthrough for the Utes came in the top of the seventh as the visitors evened the score at three. Digiorno led off with a single before Long doubled into the right field corner, giving Utah runners in scoring position with nobody out. After a WVU pitching change, pinch hitter Cameron Gurney was hit by a pitch to load the bases then Roellig sent a roller up the middle for a two-run single.

WVU plated three runs in its half of the eighth to break the tie, clubbing a two-run home run and adding another tally from a Utah error.

Trailing 6-3, Utah brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth when Santino Panaro reached on a fielder's choice and Gurney was hit for a second time. But that would be all for the Utes.

Returning from injury to game action, Jackson Elder made a relief appearance for Utah and had one strikeout in 0.2 innings.

Next Up
To try and beat forecasted inclement weather in Morgantown, Utah and West Virginia will play a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch in the opener will be at 11 a.m. MT.

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