West Virginia University continued its dominant run in the Big 12 Tournament with a 4-2 victory over Kansas State in the quarterfinals on Thursday night in Surprise, Arizona, powered by a standout pitching performance from ace Maxx Yehl.
Just days after being named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year an honor earned after leading the conference in ERA Yehl once again showed why he is considered one of the most reliable arms in college baseball. Head coach Steve Sabins trusted his star right-hander in a high-pressure postseason matchup against the 11th-seeded Wildcats, despite WVU entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed following a first-round bye.
Yehl responded with a strong outing, delivering six-plus innings of work while holding Kansas State scoreless for most of the night. He mixed command and strikeouts effectively, finishing with seven punchouts, three walks, and only three hits allowed. At one point, he carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and consistently kept Wildcats hitters off balance as WVU built control of the game.
After a somewhat shaky second inning where he allowed some baserunners, Yehl quickly regained his rhythm, retiring multiple innings in order and settling into dominance. His night eventually ended in the seventh inning after Kansas State’s Grant Gallagher broke through with a two-run home run as Yehl showed signs of fatigue.
Offensively, West Virginia did just enough early before breaking the game open in the middle innings. The Mountaineers initially struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, leaving runners stranded in the early going. However, things shifted in the sixth inning when WVU finally began to separate itself.
A key moment came in classic Mountaineers fashion: with Sean Smith on third base, Armani Guzman executed a perfectly placed squeeze bunt after a tactical signal from the dugout. The play forced confusion in the Kansas State defense, allowing Smith to score while Guzman reached safely. WVU continued to build momentum as Guzman later crossed home on a wild pitch, followed by an RBI single from Brock Wills that brought in Brodie Kresser.
Earlier in the game, Gavin Kelly set the tone with a first-inning home run, helping WVU build an early 4-0 advantage after six innings. Sean Smith also delivered a strong performance from the designated hitter spot, collecting three hits, while the Mountaineers offense collectively recorded 11 hits compared to just four from Kansas State.
After Kansas State cut the deficit to 4-2 with a late two-run homer, WVU head coach Steve Sabins turned to his bullpen for stability. He called on All-Big 12 First Team pitcher Ian Korn to shut the door, and the move paid off. Korn, who had recently started in the regular-season finale against TCU, transitioned seamlessly into a relief role and delivered a dominant finish.
Korn struck out five of the nine batters he faced and allowed just one hit in the final frame, sealing the win. He also received defensive support from left fielder Matthew Graveline, who made a key late-game catch on a deep fly ball to preserve the lead.
With the win, West Virginia improves to 38-13 on the season and advances to the semifinals, where they will face either Arizona State or Cincinnati. The Mountaineers split their regular-season matchups with those potential opponents, defeating Arizona State on the road but dropping a series to Cincinnati.
WVU is expected to lean on pitcher Chansen Cole in the semifinal matchup as they aim to secure a spot in the championship game. Last season, the Mountaineers entered the tournament as the top seed but were eliminated in the semifinals by Arizona, a reminder of how quickly postseason fortunes can change.
Now, with elite pitching and timely offense leading the way, West Virginia looks determined to take the next step and push deeper into the Big 12 Tournament this time around.
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