GRANVILLE — West Virginia pitcher Dawson Montesa got up from the press table after Sunday’s game against Wake Forest. Head coach Steve Sabins jokingly told Montesa to be ready for Game 2 of the doubleheader against Kentucky just under an hour from then.
It was a joke because Montesa threw 122 pitches, seven innings and an out in the 10-5 win over the Demon Deacons. Usually, that type of workload requires a few days’ rest. WVU’s bullpen was hurting after Saturday’s loss, where ace Maxx Yehl didn’t make it out of the first inning, so Ian Korn and Reese Bassinger were used extensively. The next day, Sabins was going to ride Montesa, even if he gave up five runs, as long as possible, to save some arms for a possible two games ahead. The Adelphi transfer answered the call.
Just the next day, Chansen Cole, who pitched a lot in his start on Friday, walked a batter on eight pitches in the top of the 10th. With one out, Kentucky had a runner on. Sabins walked out to the mound and signaled to the bullpen.
Earlier in the morning, each player went through a self-evaluation process in the biomechanics lab. They have all sorts of analytics regarding arm scores and their strength levels.
“Then you go to Dawson, he’s like, ‘I feel better today than I felt yesterday,'” Sabins said. “I’m like, I don’t think that’s possible. But, he’s like, ‘I’m ready to go, like for real coach.’ I’m like, ‘Well, be ready to go then.'”
In came Montesa, who was thought to be a last-resort option. He had just a little more than 24 hours’ rest, and Sabins was going to him with the season on the line.
Montesa was called in during the middle of the at-bat, with who knows what was to come. The last time Montesa came in relief, Kansas hit two home runs off him. Now, he was on the mound after throwing seven innings the day before.
Montesa threw his first pitch, and 96 miles per hour was displayed on the scoreboard. The Division II transfer didn’t look fatigued. He walked Cole’s batter, giving Kentucky runners on first and second. Still only an out.
Montesa struck out Braxon Van Cleave, who was one of the top hitters of the regional, on four pitches. Kentucky’s Tyler Cerny lined out on the next pitch, ending the inning. Montesa walked back to the dugout, running on fumes, fired up.
“When a guy is throwing 97 miles per hour, you’re like, arm looks pretty good,” Sabins said. “He got two huge outs for the program, after throwing a bunch of pitches yesterday.”
Montesa’s performance allowed Armani Guzman to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th, sending WVU to the super regionals. Montesa was one of the many strong outings from the Mountaineer pitching staff over the course of the regional.
After having muscle spasms and one of his worst starts of the season, Yehl pitched five innings, struck out six, had three hits and one earned run. Ian Korn settled the ship in Saturday’s game on short notice. Cole had one of the best pitching displays to start the regional against Binghamton, and then helped the Mountaineers get some crucial outs against Kentucky in the final game. Bridgeport, West Virginia, native Ben McDougal, who pitched just over six innings all season, went five innings to aid in the comeback win against Kentucky in the second game Saturday night.
No matter how tired the pitchers were, even if they threw 122 pitches the day before, they gave it their all to send the Mountaineers to the super regional.
“I want to shout out the pitching staff,” Guzman said. “Those guys don’t really get an award because there’s so many pitchers who throw, but what they did this evening was truly special. Guys were throwing twice a week. Dawson Montesa threw 130 pitches last night, and came up throwing 97. The pitching staff, shout out to you guys.”
The arms can rest a couple of days before the first game of the next round at noon on Friday, June 4, against Cal Poly and again on Saturday, June 5, at noon. The Mustangs are one of the hottest teams in the country after coming out of No. 1 overall seed UCLA’s regional undefeated, scoring 25 runs in the process. It’ll be tough to slow down their offense.
But, if anyone is up for the challenge, it’s the Mountaineers’ pitching staff.
“It takes heroic performances to do heroic things,” Sabins said. “That’s what these kids do.”
