Balanced attack carries WVU past Kansas State in series clincher
No. 18 West Virginia played a very complete game in its 9-1 victory against Kansas State on May 2. From a complete game on the mound to perfect approaches at the plate, manager Steve Sabins discussed what went well for the Mountaineers in a much-needed bounce-back week in a postgame press conference.
Bounce-Back Week
Last week, nothing seemed to go WVU’s way. In the midweek, the Mountaineers were embarrassed against their rivals, losing 23-1 at the hands of Pitt in the Backyard Brawl. Then on the weekend, WVU dropped just its second series of the season, going 1-2 at Cincinnati.
This week’s midweek was canceled due to the weather against Penn State, leaving WVU with a sour taste in its mouth for five days before its next contest. This weekend, the Mountaineers answered the call, already securing the series win over Kansas State. Sabins looked at this weekend’s slate as a new breath in a long season.
“I always kind of view those opportunities as if you were to lose a series early in the year, you basically have a chance to erase that right with three wins going one and two last week,” Sabins said. “If you get a chance to sweep, you basically can just continue winning the series and maybe erase that one at least. That’s how I approach it.”
Outplaying the Wildcats
All around, WVU outplayed the Wildcats. Chasen Cole was terrific on the mound, firing the Mountaineers’ first complete game of the season, setting a personal season-high of nine strikeouts. Along with Cole, WVU was vicious at the plate, totaling 15 hits with five extra base hits and two home runs.
Everyone in WVU’s lineup recorded a hit, while five Mountaineers had two or more knocks. This was impressive because Kansas State threw its best arm in Lincoln Sheffield, who was 6-1 with a 4.82 ERA ahead of the contest.
WVU knocked him out of the game after allowing 10 hits and six runs (three earned) through five innings. Sabins was proud of how his team performed against a really tough pitcher.
“Really good performance offensively,” he said. “We had so many players play well and have good at-bats against Kansas State’s starter Sheffield, who’s been their best pitcher this season. So I was proud of the at-bats and how we approached it.”
Sticking to Fundamentals
It was the typical West Virginia approach of getting runners on, moving them over, then getting them in, playing their version of small ball. Three Mountaineers recorded bunts for hits: Armani Guzman, Brodie Kresser and Tyrus Hall.
While this is usual for the Mountaineers to play with this approach, there were a few factors that made WVU lay down more bunts. Sabins said with the left Sheffield on the mound and Kansas State without their normal first baseman, he felt the bunt play would work.
“We watch every defensive play that a team makes, every pitcher, and watch film until our eyes bleed,” Sabins said. “The lefty on the mound today fell off to the third base side pretty hard, so we thought that the first base side was open. The guy playing first base hasn’t been the traditional first baseman for Kansas State. They’ve had a few injuries. So he’s a long player. And then you got a big man who falls off to the third base side. So we thought the first base side would be open today.”
Welcoming the Long Ball
With the bunts in full effect, the big fly was surprisingly there as well for WVU. Gavin Kelly delivered his seventh home run of the season in the third inning, and Sean Smith deposited a three-run shot in the sixth.
Both the homers landed in similar locations, as Kelly and Smith went to the opposite field, hugging the right field foul pole. Maybe the wind helped push the balls over the fence, but Sabins described the home runs as “impressive.”
“It’s really hard to hit a ball on the opposite field at this place as a right-handed hitter,” he said. “So both those guys crushed it. Sean Smith really crushed it. That was pretty impressive, but both those guys can drive the ball the other direction with authority, and we’re able to do it.”
Now, WVU has hit 29 home runs as a team, which places it last in the Big 12 in that category. Sabins joked, welcoming home runs for his ballclub.
“The Mountaineers haven’t hit a ton of homers, so homers are welcome,” Sabins said.
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