Kirn’s total game puts West Virginia in the Huge 12
1,457 days separated May 26, 2021, and Thursday, the time between West Virginia’s last two wins in the Big 12 Competition.
The Mountaineers came alive offensively in the fourth inning and did not look back as top-seeded WVU beat No. 8 Cincinnati 10-3 from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Griffin Kirn threw a complete game for the first time this season, tossing 129 pitches and holding Cincinnati to 8 hits while he had 9 strikeouts.
West Virginia’s recent struggles at the plate appeared to be rollovering at an early stage against the Bearcats as they could not get to UC starter Carson Marsh.
That all altered in the 4th inning as Kyle West struck a 401-foot crowning achievement, a 112 MPH blast to ideal field, tying the game at 1-1. From that point on, the floodgates opened for the Mountaineers.
West Virginia filled the bases before Spencer Barnett and Grant Hussey traded infield songs as WVU led 3-1. Brodie Kresser then added another run on a sac-fly to center, before West walked, plating another run, putting the Mountaineers in front 5-3.
Griffin Kirn got the start on the mound for West Virginia, and he was ace material. Kirn gave up a run in the very first two batters of the game on a walk and a double, allowing two more in the fifth. He would then put things into cruise control as the next three innings he permitted two hits, and struck out two.During WVU’s sweep versus Kansas this previous weekend, the Mountaineers totaled five runs and were locked out twice. They scored five runs in the fourth inning, before including five more between the 6th and seventh innings. In the sixth, two walks led to an RBI single from Brodie Kresser, before 2 fantastic at-bats from the middle of WVU’s lineup included another run. Jace Rinehart and Sam White both were down 0-2 with 2 outs on base, and they saw 16 combined pitches, as White scored 2 on a single, putting the Mountaineers in front 10-3. That is where the game would complete as Kirn finished off the Bearcats in the ninth. West Virginia’s offense completed with simply eight hits, however they were 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position. The Mountaineers likewise worked eight walks on the day. This is WVU’s first win in the Huge 12 Competition considering that the 2021 season, as they were 0-6 in their last three seasons
throughout Huge 12 Competition games. West Virginia now advances to the Huge 12 Semifinals on Friday with first pitch set for 5:00 p.m. versus No. 4-seeded Arizona.