MORGANTOWN — The season might’ve looked like it was trending in the wrong direction for West Virginia, and sweeping No. 7 Kansas on the road seemed like a tough task. But, after winning Game 1 on Friday, the Mountaineers took care of business once again to win Game 2, taking the series over the top team in the Big 12. Once again, Gavin Kelly was a big reason why.
In the bottom of the ninth, with Matt Ineich on first and an out, Kelly came up to the plate. The sophomore worked a 1-1 count and took the third pitch for a ride over the centerfield wall 432 feet. Kelly’s two-run shot provided enough insurance in the final inning to lead WVU to a 5-2 victory over Kansas, taking Game 2 and the series.
With the two wins over Kansas, the Mountaineers are now 34-12 and 18-8 in the Big 12, which is now just two games behind the Jayhawks for the top spot in the conference standings. Kansas has now lost three in a row for the second time this season, and has to avoid the sweep on Sunday, with first pitch at noon.
Kelly’s been red hot over the past week. He’s hit six home runs in the last five games and hit at least one homer in each of them. Kelly now has 12 home runs on the season. He finished the day with two hits and two RBIs.
Kelly’s home run was enough for relief pitcher Ian Korn to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth, taking care of Kansas in order.
But it wasn’t all Kelly. WVU set the tone in the first inning when Paul Schoenfeld, who is from Wichita, Kansas, hit a ball to deep center over the fence for a solo shot and the first run of the game. After a lot of talk of not having a lot of power, the Mountaineers have hit at least two home runs in their last five games. This was Schoenfeld’s third home run of the season and first since the Penn State game in the middle of April.
Kansas quickly answered, leaving it up to WVU to retake the lead. Brodie Kresser hit a deep fly ball to left field, which was enough time for Matthew Graveline to score, making it 2-1 WVU in the second. The Mountaineers had some more opportunities to score in the following innings, but couldn’t get anything home. The Jayhawks tied the game in the fifth.
WVU once again outhit Kansas and had 12 hits on the afternoon. Graveline led the team with three, and Kelly and Sean Smith both had a pair. Almost everyone in the starting lineup registered a hit, even facing one of Kansas’ better pitchers, Mason Cook. WVU slashed six hits off of him.
Like last week, Chansen Cole did his best to repeat the great start from Maxx Yehl the day prior. He did just that again and carried the dominant pitching into Game 2. Cole let up a solo shot in the first inning from Tyson LeBlanc, but he settled in quickly after. He allowed a solo home run in his last outing when he pitched a complete game, too, so it didn’t rattle him.
Cole didn’t go as deep Saturday afternoon, but pitched five innings. Kansas hit another deep shot on him, and it ended up being an inside-the-park home run. In five, Cole let up the two runs, struck out six and allowed just four hits.
Knowing the possibility of winning the series in Game 2, head coach Steve Sabins went with his best reliever for the last few innings. Ian Korn entered the game for WVU and pitched even better than Cole. He pitched four innings, let up just two hits and didn’t allow a run. Korn had three strikeouts, including the final batter, where he was fired up after retiring him.
With the win, WVU can sweep the Jayhawks on Sunday, getting revenge for what they did last year when they went into Morgantown and took three games. Dawson Montesa is on the mound for WVU in the final game. He helped the Mountaineers sweep Kansas State the week prior.
