Baseball Preview: West Virginia at Penn State

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (Interstat) — A surging West Virginia squad faces a struggling Penn State team in a non-conference matchup Wednesday at Municipal Stadium.

The Mountaineers (24-8) enter riding high after taking two of three on the road from Texas Tech, including a 10-2, 10-inning victory Sunday. Penn State (10-23) seeks momentum after dropping a weekend series at Ohio State, culminating in a 15-10 loss.

West Virginia will look to continue its winning ways behind a pitching staff anchored by right-hander Chansen Cole. The standout is coming off a dominant performance, throwing eight hitless innings with two earned runs and four strikeouts in Sunday’s win over Texas Tech. In his last three starts, Cole has allowed just one earned run over 19 innings.

The Nittany Lions counter with a potent bat in designated hitter Michael Anderson. He homered and drove in two runs in Sunday’s loss, part of a recent power surge. In his last 10 games, Anderson has four home runs and 12 RBIs, including a two-homer game at Nebraska on April 5.

The teams’ recent trajectories contrast sharply. West Virginia has won 10 of its last 13 games. Penn State has lost 10 of its last 13, though its offense showed life by scoring 10 runs in two of its last four contests.

This game is the first of two scheduled meetings between the programs this month. They are set to play again in University Park, Pennsylvania, on April 29.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projected final score is West Virginia 7, Penn State 3.

First pitch is scheduled for Wednesday under cloudy skies with a game-time temperature near 79 degrees.