GRANVILLE — There may come a day when the story of J.J. Wetherholt somehow transforms itself into that of the Mighty Casey and there is no more joy in Mudville, er, Morgantown.
That day did not come Tuesday, in which Wetherholt — in maybe only a way he can — elevated himself to yet another level.
In just his second game back after returning from a dislocated thumb, Wetherholt hit one of West Virginia’s two grand slams, as the No. 18-ranked Mountaineers raced past Penn State for a 14-2 victory at a sold-out Mon County Ballpark.
“Nothing he does surprises us at this point,” WVU manager Randy Mazey said. “The law of averages tell you you’re not able to do what he’s doing, but he’s doing it in spite of that.”
That’s one way of looking at it, while another is taking into account 10 days ago after getting his thumb popped back into place, Wetherholt still couldn’t hold a bat or throw the ball.
Yet his return to action on Sunday as a pinch hitter against TCU saw him hit a bases-loaded double and an RBI single.
In his first start since the injury — he was the designated hitter against the Nittany Lions (23-14) — he added a grand slam and a triple, and nearly came up with a second grand slam that still was an RBI sacrifice fly.
“I was laughing and thinking this would be pretty crazy if I did it again,” Wetherholt said of the near miss at a second grand slam.
Well, yeah, it would be unbelievably crazy, yet somehow plausible simply because Wetherholt has almost gone beyond human this season.
He’s driven in nine runs over those two games and his four hits have accounted for the cycle — a home run, triple, double and single.
“I’ve been feeling pretty good,” he said. “I’ve just got to get healthy and get this thumb thing figured out.”
WVU (30-11) did get a second grand slam off the bat of Grant Hussey, who blasted a 415-footer to deep center field.
That was part of an 8-run inning that put the game away, as WVU recorded its fifth consecutive win heading into a weekend series at Baylor. The Mountaineers will enter that series at the top of the Big 12 standings.
“I’ve been getting fastballs,” said Hussey, who leads the Mountaineers with 10 home runs this season. “I’ve been trying to stay away from the spinning balls in the dirt. I’m getting into those hitters’ counts and driving fastballs.”
Gavin Van Kempen (3-0) picked up the win in relief, although WVU starter Carson Estridge was strong through three innings.
Van Kempen went two innings and allowed just a solo home run to Bobby Marsh in the sixth inning that did no damage.
Caleb McNeely had two of the Mountaineers’ 13 hits and drove in two runs, while Logan Sauve added a third WVU home run — a solo shot — in the sixth inning.
Landon Wallace and Ellis Garcia added RBI singles in a game that WVU went 8 for 20 (.400) with runners in scoring position.
Yet the day, again, belonged to Wetherholt, who Mazey projected could be back at second base this weekend against Baylor.
And, as long as the Mighty Casey is still swinging away, one has to wonder what can Wetherholt possibly do next?
“It’s crazy just seeing him out here every day,” is the way Hussey put it. “He’s one of the best baseball players I’ve ever seen. He’ll continue to be one of the best baseball players probably all of us will ever see.”
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