West Virginia’s ace, Griffin Kirn, has been named the WVU Student-Athlete of the week.
This honor comes after his complete game against Cincinnati in the quarterfinal match of the Big 12 Tournament. Read more: Kirn Awarded Student-Athlete of the Week
A Kirn Masterclass
West Virginia needed all the help they could get to have an opportunity to win the illustrious Big 12 Championship. While that feat didn’t happen, you can’t fault Kirn’s efforts.
Kirn was coming into the tournament hot off his recent start against Kansas, where he went eight innings to go along with 10 strikeouts. Using that momentum he gained, Kirn managed to one-up himself.
In the quarterfinal bout, Kirn saved his best outing for the biggest stage he had seen to date. With West Virginia’s chance of advancing resting on his shoulders, Kirn pitched a complete game where he fanned nine Bearcats and only allowed three runs to cross.
Related: A Stark Contrast: WVU’s Hitting Against Varying Competition
Throughout the game, Kirn showcased his ability to effectively locate pitches while keeping the Cincinnati hitters off balance with his off-speed pitches. This not only led to his ability to pitch the entire game, but also to his high strikeout number.
What This Means Going Forward
While West Virginia went on to lose the following day to Arizona, ending their run in the Big 12 tournament, Kirn’s outing shines a light on the Mountaineers’ hope of achieving an even greater feat.
In order for the Mountaineers to have a chance at winning their first national championship, they are going to need Kirn to continue to dominate. Kirn has shown that he can put the Mountaineers on his back and carry them to a win.
Kirn’s recent dominance has come at a perfect time. Not only is it at the point of the season where every game matters, but West Virginia’s hitting has not been as reliable as it once was. Kirn has proven that if he has his best stuff, he can go out there and win the game, even with little run support.
Kirn will have another opportunity to continue his recent surge with West Virginia taking on Kentucky in the first game of the regional on Friday. That game will air on ESPNU and be available to stream on ESPN+ at noon ET.
All WVU games can also be heard on WVU’s radio flagship, WVST 100.9 FM, and its nine WV affiliate stations and on the WVTheTorch app.
Kirn Awarded Student-Athlete of the Week
