Yehl, Korn silence Big 12’s top offense as WVU blanks Kansas State
No. 18 West Virginia had a tough task of neutralizing a Kansas State offense that ranks at the top of the Big 12 in multiple categories. The Mountaineers did well in their first test, defeating the Wildcats 7-0, holding them to four hits in game one’s victory on May 1.
Southpaw Maxx Yehl and right-hander Ian Korn were the only two WVU pitchers to throw in the game, earning praise from their manager, Steve Sabins, in a postgame press conference.
No Need to Shake Off Rust
Kansas State entered the contest with the most runs scored in the Big 12 with 409 and the third-highest team batting average at .309. After missing last week’s start, it would have been shocking to see Yehl have to remove rust against a potent offense.
He did not need to shake any rust off, firing five innings of three-hit baseball, striking out eight. Sabins credited Yehl’s tremendous outing against a strong lineup.
“Can’t say enough good things about his outing,” Sabins said. “Five innings, three hits against a really good K-State offense. They’re physical, they’re strong, they’re as good as anybody that we faced.”
Yehl’s “Best” Stuff
What kept the Wildcats at bay was Yehl’s high-level pitch mix. The last time he was on the mound, his velocity drastically dropped, struggling to get over 90 mph. It was clear something was bothering him, but against Kansas State, he returned to his true form.
Yehl touched 95 mph in the first inning, with his fastball sitting around 93 mph. He had great control over his curveball and slider, keeping Kansas State off balance. Sabins talked through Yehl’s week off from pitching, indicating that it had bettered him ahead of this start.
“The velocity was higher, the breaking ball was sharper, the stuff was actually better,” Sabins said. …” He was up to 95 in the first inning, and I don’t think he had been there probably since week one or two. This might have been the best stuff he’s ever had in his career, actually. And so it appears that that worked out well.”
Confidence in Pregame
It was clear Yehl had some of his best stuff of the season shutting down one of the top offenses in the league, and he knew it. Before the game, playing catch, Yehl had a large boost of confidence, allowing him to trust in all his pitches.
“Early on, honestly, I was feeling really good in catch play. I had a lot of confidence going into the game. So just being able to go out there, throw strikes and let my pitches do what they needed to do, I’ve had the confidence I needed,” Yehl said.
Here to Stay on Friday’s
It’s no shock that Yehl pitched at such a high-level as he’s been dominating all season. His 2.20 ERA is a testament to that, as he is the clear-cut ace of the Mountaineers. But this was his first time starting the Friday game of the weekend set. Sabins explained the change in the rotation, leading to the belief that this is where Yehl will stay for the remainder of the season.
“He’s been our ACE all season. So, going in about the halfway mark, I think he had established himself as being a dominant force,” Sabins said. “We would throw Max against anybody in the country on Friday night, mano y mano. We want that guy on the mound. If someone’s best pitcher is theoretically starting in game one, we want Max to pitch against them, because he gives us a chance to win the game and then win the series.”
Outstanding Bullpen Performance
While Yehl gets most of the flowers, Korn deserves just as much recognition. He came in after Yehl and went the rest of the way, allowing WVU to rest its arms. Korn’s final stat line was four innings and two strikeouts, allowing just two runners to reach on one hit.
This was Korn’s first appearance after filling in for Yehl in the starting rotation last week. Sabins talked about the effort Korn gives the Mountaineers every time he toes the rubber.
“That guy’s been tremendous. He’s the definition of everything that we preach, everything that we’re into here,” Sabins said. “He started on Friday night last week, and then went back to the bullpen. And so, just the utmost trust and a kid, and he brings great energy every day.”
Evidently, Sabins never thought to tell Korn of his new role last week, or even his reinstatement to the bullpen. He did not say anything because it seems Korn does not care about his role, as long as it will help the team win.
“I didn’t even tell him that he was going to start on Friday night; I just listed it, so he found out whenever it goes on the team schedule,” Sabins said. “I put him back in the bullpen. Don’t tell him a reason or why or explain. He just doesn’t need any of that stuff. He’s not into roles. He’s into winning, pitching, and getting better.”
Offer Alert
Fall camp is here and there’s no better time to sign up with us to get all your WVU intel! Sign up today – $1 for the first week, plus a complimentary year of access to The Athletic included. Join – http://gowvu.us/Join
__________________________________________
• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot
• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting
• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan
•Like us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok
