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Former WVU teammates face off in MiLB action

WVU righty Jacob Watters throws a warm-up pitch before the second inning of the Mountaineers' game against Baylor on April 8, 2022. (Photo: Jamie Green)

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Two former WVU baseball teammates went head-to-head in minor league action on Friday night. It was a pitcher’s duel between Jacob Watters and Ryan Bergert.

Watters made his eighth start on the bump with the Lansing Lugnuts, Oakland’s High-A affiliate. In the other dugout, Bergert was leading San Diego’s affiliate, the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

Bergert’s squad got the thrilling 1-0 win in 10 innings with the help of his best start of the season. He set the tone immediately by striking out the side in the opening inning.

In seven scoreless innings, Bergert allowed just three hits, zero walks and struck out eight batters. It marked a season-high in innings pitched and K’s for the former Mountaineer.

Watters was just as solid in his outing. He fanned four and allowed just one hit in 5.2 shutout innings. Of his 74 total pitches, 41 were strikes.

Bergert was drafted by the Padres in the sixth round of the 2021 draft while Watters was selected in the fourth round by the Athletics in 2022.

This was the first time in their professional careers that the former Mountaineers faced each other in a game.