GRANVILLE — Before the season started, West Virginia baseball coach Steve Sabins talked about his Division II pitchers, which included Ian Korn, Chansen Cole and Dawson Montesa. Sabins was particularly excited for Montesa because his recruiting process at Adelphia on Long Island was unique in the sense that he only heard about him through rumors. It was the “legend of Dawson Montesa,” according to Sabins. Montesa was a pitcher throwing 90s in a snowstorm, so through different channels, Sabins knew he needed him.
The legend of Dawson Montesa gained an extra chapter Sunday afternoon in his first NCAA regional start. Montesa pitched seven complete innings and only allowed five runs on four hits to keep No. 1-seeded WVU alive in the Morgantown Regional, beating Wake Forest 10-5.
“The dude to the left of me just put the team on his back,” Sabins said, sitting next to Montesa. “Absolutely carried this thing, had his best outing of the season in the biggest moment. Pretty fun. What postseason baseball is about.”
It’s a quick turnaround for the Mountaineers, who face Kentucky at 5 p.m on the SEC Network. WVU has to beat the Wildcats Sunday night and again on Monday to advance to the Super Regional. Kentucky just has to win one of two.
Montesa was thrown in a tough spot. After Ian Korn was used extensively against Kentucky Saturday night, Montesa was the only real starter available. Sabins texted Montesa after Saturday’s game, when Montesa was at Chipotle, that he’d be the starter for Sunday in the elimination game.
“I texted coach, ‘Hell yeah,'” Montesa said. “Knew I wanted the ball. I was going to tell him even before that that I want the ball. But, it was good, a good feeling getting that text.”
But, he hadn’t started since Kansas on May 10, and only pitched out of the pen since, after struggling in a couple of starts and Korn having success.
With the season on the line, Montesa answered the call. He started off the afternoon striking out two of the first three batters. The Adelphi transfer continued to deal against Wake Forest, and allowed his first run in the third inning on a grounder. Matt Conte took Montesa deep the next inning for a two-run shot, but those were the only three runs through six innings, and he only let up two hits.
Montesa came back out for the seventh and let up another solo shot. But he picked up the next three outs and was fired up walking back to the dugout after waving the last batter. Montesa’s name was chanted by the Kendrick Family Bullpen crowd as he headed to the dugout after being pulled in the eighth. He threw 122 pitches and struck out seven in seven innings and an out.
“Usually I’m poised and usually don’t blow my load before I go out there for another inning, but I guess the moment was pretty big,” Montesa said. “I couldn’t hold it in. It’s pretty fun.”
Behind Montesa, WVU’s offense stayed hot. The Mountaineers tallied three runs in the second inning and then blew the game open in the sixth. The No. 1 seed in the region scored six runs to make it 10-3. Sean Smith kept his bat cooking and went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, contributing an RBI double in the big sixth. Gavin Kelly had two hits and so did Matt Ineich, who was moved to the sixth spot in the lineup from the lead-off spot. Armani Guzman led off Sunday.
Tyrus Hall also had a hit and an RBI earlier in the game, continuing from his big game Saturday night.
“The offense was tremendous,” Sabins said. “The offense has been pretty good for three straight games.”
The Mountaineers scored 10 runs on 13 hits. Every player in the lineup had a hit. WVU has scored 29 runs in three games during the regional.
Montesa’s performance was a big help for the rest of the regional. The Mountaineers only needed two arms to close out the game, leaving fresh players for the regional final. Reese Bassinger came in to close out the game for WVU. Bassinger pitched an inning and two-thirds, struck out two and had one hit.
The Mountaineers can’t celebrate the win because it’s a really quick turnaround before facing Kentucky a second time, who just beat them in a tough game on Saturday night.
“I don’t think they care if it’s Kentucky or the New York Yankees, they’re better at flushing it than I am,” Sabins said. “They’re really excited about the chance to get to Monday. That’s the goal right?”
