The Mountaineers were three outs away from being a step closer to closing out the Big 12. WVU could not get all three and blew a 7-2 lead. They lost 8-7 and have a conference record of 18-5. They are 39-9 overall and 22-4 on the road. Arizona State is second in the conference at 16-8, and TCU is right behind them at 16-9. They play Kansas State on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Manhattan. Read more: WVU blows a huge lead in Manhattan.
Recap: WVU Blows a Huge Lead in Manhattan
Griffin Kirn started on the mound for the Mountaineers in Manhattan. He pitched a solid game, especially through six innings. He did not allow a run until the seventh, allowed seven hits, hit two batters, and walked one. WVU started the scoring at the top of the fourth. Logan Sauve singled with one out and got on base for Sam White. White doubled off the top of the wall in left center to put up the first run. Jace Rinehart hit it over the wall following White. He hit a 403-foot home run to left center to put the Mountaineers up 3-0.
READ: As WVU Heads to K-State, Their Future Hangs in the Balance
Kyle West doubled with two outs in the top of the fifth to put a runner in scoring position. Sauve singled to left center and drove him in to give WVU a 4-0 lead. The Wildcats did not score until the seventh. It was Kirn’s last inning, and a two-run home run with two outs was the final hit allowed. Bear Madliak hit a 334-foot home run to left field to cut the lead to two.
WVU answered those runs with two of its own in the top of the eighth. Sauve doubled to start the inning and advanced to third on a groundout. He scored on a fielder’s choice two at-bats later. The second run of the inning came on a throwing error by the second baseman. It pushed the lead to four. WVU added another insurance run in the top of the ninth on a Kyle West single to make the score 7-2.
Those insurance runs were not enough. Reese Bassinger gave up a solo home run to Keegan O’Connor to start the inning. Then he gave up a single and a double. His final at-bat was a one-run single to make it 7-4. Carson Estridge replaced him on the mound. He came in with runners on first and second. He got a ground ball, but Brodie Kresser made a throwing error at shortstop and allowed a run to score without getting an out. Estridge allowed a single to the next batter to make it 7-6. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, and he walked the next batter to load the bases. He got a ground out to third base for the first out of the inning, but the game was tied. He intentionally walked the next batter and gave up a single to Keegan O’Connor, which ended the game.
Key Takeaways
WVU blew this game after a great outing from Griffin Kirn. Kirn threw seven innings and only allowed two runs. Kansas State ranks 11th nationally with 86 home runs, second in the Big 12 behind Kansas. Kirn pitched a great game, and they finally knocked one out of the park in the seventh. He only struck out three batters, but got quick outs. He only threw 77 pitches, which is 11 pitches per inning. Reese Bassinger and Carson Estridge pitched terribly in a relatively stress-free situation. They were up by five runs with two innings to play. They needed three outs to finish the game and gave up six runs to lose it. You have to be on point against a team like this, and head coach Steve Sabins should have had a quicker leash after the leadoff home run in the ninth.
The offense did its job. They put up seven runs and got three insurance runs in the final two innings. They gave their bullpen a five-run lead, which should be plenty. Sauve and West had great nights at the plate, going three for five. Rinehart’s home run also gave them momentum on the road. Kresser’s error in the ninth inning is a killer, especially since it would have been the first out of the inning. It changes the momentum of the inning if he makes that play. WVU will have to lick its wounds and get back on Saturday.
