MORGANTOWN — Brodie Kresser had one strike on him. West Virginia baseball had two outs with bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th. Columbia’s pitcher dealt, and Kresser took the ball for a ride. The Lions’ left fielder moved back and back and was eventually at the warning track. Then, he stopped running and watched the ball go over the fence.

Kresser hit a walk-off grand slam to win in extra innings for WVU over the Lions 9-5 on Saturday afternoon, winning Game 2 of the three-game home series.

“I kind of blacked out there,” Kresser said. “That was pretty cool… To do it in extras in the 10th was pretty special.”

The deciding game for the series is slated for Sunday, March 7, at 12:30 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+. It was a much-needed win for the Mountaineers, who were on a two-game losing streak and had a rough week, losing one of their best pitchers, Chase Meyer. With the win, WVU moved to 9-3 on the season and has the chance to win its fourth series. The Lions fell to 2-6 on the year.

“It wasn’t easy,” Sabins said. “That’s for damn sure. Nothing has been easy for a couple of days. It felt like our team needed that.”

The 10th started with a single from third baseman Tyrus Hall. Then, catcher Gavin Kelly was nailed with a pitch, putting two on. Center fielder Paul Schoenfeld walked, loading the bases with no outs. Shortstop Matt Ineich lined out, and Matthew Graveline was up next.

Graveline seemed to be the most worthy of the walk-off moment. The extra baseball wouldn’t have been possible without a big-time play from Graveline. With no outs, Columbia rocketed one to the left field fence. Graveline tracked it, was at the track, and leaped up, making the grab. The catch prevented a potentially two-run homer, which allowed for extra baseball.

“The wind was blowing out pretty hard today,” Graveline said. “Didn’t get much action in the first few innings, but I just stayed ready. I was playing pretty deep just in case that happened. The ball was traveling pretty well today, so I wasn’t too far from the fence. Once I got to the fence, I kind of just jumped up and caught it.”

Graveline grounded out, so it was all up to Kresser. Kresser’s walk-off homer was the first of his collegiate career in his sixth season. Kresser almost walked it off in the ninth, too. He hit one down the line with a runner on, but it was called back because Sabins called a timeout.

“Poetic the fact that pressure comes up later in that game with bases loaded, hits a homer,” Sabins said. “He’s screaming in my face. Did not feel sorry about the timeout call. He’s just a team-oriented guy.”

The game wasn’t as exciting early and was quiet through the first three innings, setting up for a pitching duel. But then WVU opened it up with a two-run fourth and another in the fifth, taking a 3-0 lead. Columbia quickly answered back to jump out in front, 4-3. WVU answered with two in the seventh, and Columbia tacked one on at the top of the eighth.

With the game on the line, Sabins went to his freshman shortstop turned pitcher, David Perez, for the final couple of innings to shut it down, and he did. There were some hold-your-breath type moments, but the youngster, with the help of some big plays, kept the game going. Perez went two innings and a third, which was the longest he pitched all year.

“Loves the moment,” Sabins said. “Competes hard… Perez was able to extend his outing and gain some confidence today. He’s really good.”

Kelly was a home run away from the cycle and had an opportunity in the bottom of the 10th. He was hit, but went 3-for-5. Graveline, Brock Wills and Armani Guzman all had an RBI, contributing to the back-and-forth. Graveline and Wills both had two hits and Sean Smith had three.

Chansen Cole started and dealt again. Sabins kept with the same rotations of Dawson Montesa, Cole and Maxx Yehl for the series. Cole made his fourth start of the season. He pitched five scoreless innings for the third-straight time.

Cole showed wear in the top of the sixth, when he allowed his first run of the game, which was his final batter. Cole finished with three strikeouts, five hits, four walks and two earned runs. Sabins said he needs to work on eliminating walks.

“He did what he does,” Sabins said. “He threw 87 pitches today. After the fifth, going out for the sixth, it didn’t look like the same stuff. He was missing. It was more erratic. Ran out of gas a little bit.”

Bryson Thacker relieved Cole and had a run. Reese Bassinger came in after Thacker couldn’t finish the inning, and Perez was called in to close it out.

It was a close game through and through, and there were opportunities for WVU to keep slumping. But the Mountaineers managed to find the way to win, on the big bat of Kresser.

“I’ve had a lot of special moments here at West Virginia,” Kresser said. “I can’t say I’ve had a walk-off home run ever. It’s pretty special.”