Sometimes the difference is just one swing. Sean Smith was that one swing for West Virginia baseball Sunday night in Arizona. After five innings of a pitching master class from Arizona State’s Kole Klecker, he worked his way into a jam, loading the bases with one out. Smith took the plate. With a 2-2 count, Smith took Klecker’s next pitch for a ride to right center. It looked like it’d at least be a gapper, but it lifted over the fence to clear the bases, finally getting WVU on the board, and its first lead 4-1.

With the help of Smith’s homer, No. 17 WVU took Game 3, 9-5, and the series against No. 22 Arizona State to remain the top team in the Big 12. The Mountaineers won the last two games of the series and still haven’t lost one this season.

WVU is now 19-5 and 7-2 in the Big 12. Arizona State, losing its last two, is now 20-8 on the year and 5-4 in the conference.

Tyrus Hall singled to start the sixth, and then Matt Ineich followed that up with a single of his own. Paul Schoenfeld worked a walk to load the bases with one out. It was the first inning where WVU had some traffic, and Smith took advantage, sending one 408 feet. It was Smith’s fourth home run of the year.

Smith’s homer ended a pitching duel between WVU’s starter Chansen Cole and Arizona State’s ace in Klecker. Cole struggled here and there and allowed a home run from Landon Hairston, who’s hit his third of the series, in the first inning. The Sun Devils quickly took the lead. Cole settled in and worked his way out of a couple of jams. He pitched five innings and an out, striking out four.

Kleckler went the same distance. He allowed eight hits, had just one strikeout, but kept a clean sheet before that big blast from Smith.

Smith’s homer was his lone hit. Ineich, Gavin Kelly, Schoenfeld and Hall all had two hits. Matthew Graveline also had a double.

Once both of the starters were knocked out, the offenses started to find their stride. After Smith’s homer, WVU’s Ineich singled to score the speedy Armani Guzman from first base, handing the Mountaineers a 5-1 lead in the seventh.

Freshman David Perez came in for Cole, which was a bit earlier than the freshman usually gets called in. He worked his way out of a jam in the sixth, but he did let up a run in the bottom of the seventh. P.J. Moutzouridis scored on a wild pitch, making it 5-2. Perez had his longest time on the mound this season, going the rest of the game. He had two strikeouts, allowed four hits and walked a batter.

Dean Toigo led Arizona State’s offense with three hits. Toigo had a home run later in the game as well.

WVU quickly got the run back. Arizona State’s left-handed pitcher Sean Fitzpatrick came set with Matthew Graveline on third. Graveline saw his opportunity and stole home, extending WVU’s lead to 6-2. Schoenfeld tacked on another with a double in the ninth, 7-2. Brock Wills hit a single and scored two more, completely opening the game up after not scoring for five innings, 9-2.

WVU had 12 hits, and every hitter in the starting lineup aside from Brodie Kresser reached base at least once.

Perez came back out for the ninth. He was one strike away from closing the game out. Toigo hit the three-run shot, making it closer in the bottom of the ninth. Steve Sabins kept Perez in there to close the game.

What’s Next

WVU stays out west for a single game against Arizona, which is a nonconfernce game even though the Wildcats are in the Big 12. The game is set for 9 p.m. on ESPN+ on Tuesday, March 31. The Wildcats are 9-18 overall this season and are 2-9 in the conference. The 2-9 record is the second-worst in the Big 12, just a game ahead of Houston, who has won just one game.

The Mountaineers haven’t lost a midweek game this year, and are expected to start David Hagen for a bullpen game.