MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — WVU Potomac State College alum Ben McDougal saved West Virginia’s season, pitching five crucial innings against Kentucky in Sunday’s Regional elimination game.
McDougal threw five innings, allowed two earned runs on three hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
After playing four games in three days, the Mountaineers (42-15) had limited options out of the bullpen.
McDougal didn’t throw more than two innings in a game this season, and entered with only 6 1/3 innings of work.
The only damage against him were two solo home runs in the seventh inning.
“There was a little bit of frustration because, personally, I think if I don’t fall deep into those counts, those home runs aren’t hit,” McDougal said in the postgame press conference. “So, I just tried to reset and tried to tell myself to attack early on.”
He retired the side in order to end the sixth and eighth frames, then stranded a runner on second to end the game.
McDougal spent most of this season rehabbing from an injury, but passed up a potential medical redshirt to return.
“In order to build up, there’s gonna be small appearances and we’re winning, and the team is pitching well,” WVU manager Steve Sabins said. “So for you to get an opportunity, it’s probably gonna be relatively slim. And Ben said, ‘I wanna go, I think I can help this team.’
“The fact that all the stars aligned, it’s a god-send that guy was on that mound for that game, for this state.”
McDougal tossed 92 2/3 innings, posting a 4.56 ERA with 130 strikeouts in two seasons for the Catamounts.
On Monday night, West Virginia eliminated Kentucky 6-5 in 10 innings to advance to the Super Regionals.