Each squad managed eight hits, but the Pirates got theirs at the most opportune moments to produce the win. West Virginia also contributed to its demise by walking six Seton Hall batters, three of which helped set up the Pirates' biggest inning of the evening.
Tied at 1-1, West Virginia pitcher Josh Whitlock got two outs in the bottom of the third, but intermingled with those were a trio of walks that loaded the bases. One clearing double later, and the Mountaineers trailed 4-1. Mountaineer pitching miscues also contributed to one run in the fifth (hit batsman) and two more in the seventh (wild pitch) that gave the Pirates their margin of victory.
WVU manufactured single runs in the second and fourth innings, and added a pair in the sixth on Joe Agreste's RBI triple, followed by Austin Markel's run-scoring double, but the Mountaineers weren't able to break out for the truly big inning they needed to tie the score. Markel, Tyler Kuhn and Dan DiBartolomeo each had two hits in the loss.
WVU starter Josh Whitlock was undone by six walks and two wild pitches. Combined with seven hits, the Mountaineer stalwart yielded seven earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. Jordon Yost turned in a solid relief effort, yielding just one hit and no walks over the final inning and two-thirds. Seton Hall, however, matched that performance by holding WVU scoreless, and allowing just two hits, over the final three and two-thirds innings.
WVU is now 6-4 in the Big East, while Seton Hall sports a 9-4 mark. Game two of the three game set is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.