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TUCSON, Ariz. - West Virginia University starting pitcher Tyler Swtalski followed the blueprint laid out by his teammate from the opening round of the Tucson Regional and gave the Mountaineers 7 2-3 innings, allowing just one run in a 5-2 win over Grand Canyon University late Saturday night.
WVU (35-22) advanced to the regional final, scheduled for a 9 p.m. start on Sunday against the winner of an elimination game between Dallas Baptist and Grand Canyon.
After Derek Clark turned in a complete-game victory against Dallas Baptist on Friday, Swatalski followed suit against Grand Canyon and surrendered just a second-inning run which gave the Lopes a brief 1-0 lead on an Eddy Pelc sacrifice fly.
Swatalski, who was the beneficiary of three double plays, scattered four singles over his final five innings of work.
Brodie Kresser, who accounted for a majority of the damage for WVU's offense, delivered a two-out, run-scoring single to bring home Reed Chumley in the home half of the second inning and tie the game at 1-1.
WVU created some breathing room in the fourth inning with a four-run outburst against Grand Canyon freshman reliever Connor Mattison. The Mountaineers managed just two hits in the frame, but took advantage of two walks and a hit batter. Kresser's two-run single followed by Ben Lumsden's RBI base hit allowed WVU to build a 5-1 lead.
Grand Canyon didn't go down without a fight. In the eighth inning after Swatalski allowed a pair of singles, Lopes lead-off hitter Tyler Wilson stepped to the plate against WVU reliever Hambleton Oliver. On the second pitch of the bat, Wilson ambushed Oliver for what appeared to be a home run over the right field fence. Fortunately for the Mountaineers, Lumsden caught the ball with his back against the wall.
In the ninth inning, Grand Canyon flirted with another comeback. D. Crenshaw delivered an RBI single and eventually the Lopes loaded the bases with two outs and trailing 5-2.
The third WVU pitcher of the night, Carson Estridge entered the game and needed just one pitch to put out the fire on an infield ground out to secure the win.
Parkersburg South product Grant Hussey, who went 1-for-3 at the plate for WVU, turned in yet another defensive web gem for the Mountaineers at first base. With two outs and nobody on base in the top of the seventh inning, he raced toward the WVU first base dugout on a pop foul, kept one foot on the playing surface, reached in the dugout for the catch and kept his balance by holding onto the railing as he shuffled down the steps.