WVU falls to Kentucky 11-9, enters losers' bracket
The No. 16 seed West Virginia was defeated 11-9 against Kentucky, sending it to the losers’ bracket in the Morgantown Regional inside Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
The loss gives WVU a matchup with Wake Forest at noon on Sunday, May 31. The winner of that game will play Kentucky at 5 p.m., having to beat the Wildcats twice.
In the Clemson Regional last season, WVU and Kentucky met twice. Both games were played tightly, with two Mountaineer wins by a run. The games brought plenty of excitement, and this one was no different.
The Mountaineers sent southpaw Maxx Yehl to the mound to start, and he did not look like the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. Whether it was injury-related or not, he was nowhere near a shell of himself. Not even making it out of the first inning, he allowed four runs, two of which were earned, on two hits, walking one. He offered 36 pitches, throwing 15 strikes with four full counts. Ultimately, Yehl left the game escorted by the trainer.
In place of Yehl, right-hander Ian Korn entered and kept WVU in the game. With 3.2 innings of work, he struck out two, not walking a batter. Kentucky did tack on four runs against him, but only two were earned.
At the plate, WVU received a big day from catcher Gavin Kelly. He smacked two home runs for three RBI. Third baseman Tyrus Hall drove in two runs on as many doubles. First baseman Armani Guzman showcased his speed with two stolen bases, leading to as many runs.
WVU saw at least a run from the third to sixth innings, but never held a lead as Kentucky seemed to always have a response.
The Mountaineers were the visiting team due to tournament bracketing and went down in order to begin the game. Kentucky came up and took control of the game. Yehl walked the first batter he saw in a gritty nine-pitch at-bat. The next batter grounded to second baseman Brodie Kresser, who bobbled the ball, allowing both runners to be safe. After a groundout, Yehl hit a batter, then Ethan Hindle singled to center field for two RBI. Braxton Van Cleave then crushed a 417-foot home run for two runs. Yehl hit the next batter, cueing Korn into the game, who needed three pitches to get out of the inning.
In hopes of getting something back, WVU came up and had a prime scoring opportunity. Designated hitter Sean Smith started the inning by getting hit with a pitch. After a strikeout, Guzman singled, putting Smith on third base. Guzman stole second base, then Kresser grounded back to the pitcher, getting Smith hung up and thrown out before a groundout ended the frame. Kentucky added two more in its turn. Luke Lawerence saw an RBI double to right field, and Hindle grounded into a fielder’s choice, beating the turn from second base for a run.
After two innings, Kentucky led 6-0.
WVU got on the board in the third inning. Hall started the frame with a four-pitch walk. A strikeout followed, then Kelly unleashed on a middle-middle fastball for a 422-foot home run. Korn returned and struck out the first batter, then allowed a single. A five-four-three double play sent the game into the fourth with WVU trailing 6-2.
The Mountaineers added three more runs in the fourth. Beginning a two-out rally, right fielder Ben Lumsden hit a single, followed by an RBI double that split the right-center field gap from Hall. He advanced to third base on a wild pitch and scored on a balk. Two free passes loaded the bases, then center fielder Paul Schoenfeld was hit with a pitch, bringing a run across before a flyout ended the rally.
Korn worked a one-two-three bottmom half as WVU trailed 6-5.
In the fifth inning, WVU evened the score. Guzman started the frame with a walk and was moved to second from a Kresser sacrifice bunt. He then stole third base, and the catcher sent the ball into left field, allowing him to pedal home. Kentucky took the lead right back in the bottom half. Kresser bobbled another ball, then overthrew Guzman to begin the frame. Hindle and Carson Hansen singled, with a strikeout mixed in. That was it for Korn, bringing in right-hander Reese Bassinger. He used three pitches for a strikeout, then allowed a two-RBI single from Owen Jenkins. On the play, a wild throw-in put the ball in front of WVU’s Dugout. Guzman retreated to the ball, sliding in and throwing to Kelly in time for the final out at the plate.
WVU responded with a run at the top of the sixth inning. Kelly led off with a home run over the left field wall, putting the Mountaineers within one run of the Wildcats. Bassinger retired the side in order, as WVU was down 8-7 through six innings.
In the seventh, WVU evened the score again. Guzman started the inning dropping a ball in no man’s land between the shortstop and left fielder, using his speed to get a double. Kresser moved him over again with a bunt, then Hall filayed a double on the right field line to score him. Bassinger started the bottom half with a walk, then induced a double play. He hit the next batter, before a soft groundout to Guzman put WVU back to the plate.
No runners reached for the Mountaineers in the eighth inning, then Kentucky grabbed the go-ahead run with some insurance. An out started the frame before an infield single, and two hit batters loaded the bases. Lawrence cashed in with an RBI single, ending Bassinger’s outing. Left-hander Ben McDougal entered and was greeted with a two RBI base hit by Hudson Brown. With runners on the corners, Hindle laid down a bunt and McDougal flipped to Kelly in time for an out at the plate. A flyout ended the inning.
Entering the ninth, WVU trailed 11-8.
Left fielder Matthew Graveline led off with a dribbler to third base for an infield single. Guzman followed with a walk before Kresser grounded into a double play back to the pitcher. Lumsden reached on a third baseman’s error, allowing Graveline to score. Zahir Barjam came in as a pinch hitter and flew out, ending the game.
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