West Virginia Sweeps Clemson Regional

(WVU Athletics photo)

By James Gravley

With two wins over Kentucky and a win over Clemson, the West Virginia Mountaineers are headed back to the Super Regional for the second consecutive season, but the first time under first-year head coach Steve Sabins.

The Mountaineers walked off Kentucky in game one, 4-3. Then on Saturday, the Mountaineers defeated regional host Clemson, 9-6. The Tigers were eliminated by the Wildcats on Sunday afternoon 16-4. This set up a rematch where Kentucky would have needed to win two in a row against West Virginia and it at first appeared they would be playing on Monday afternoon.

However, the bats came alive for WVU in the eighth inning rallying for six runs to take a 13-12 lead into the ninth frame. That ultimately would be the final score. Starting pitcher Griffin Kirn was used in the ninth inning to shut the door for the Mountaineers earning his first save of the season.

The Mountaineers scored six runs in the fourth inning as well.

West Virginia now awaits the winner of LSU and Little Rock. Little Rock defeated LSU on Saturday to fend off elimination by the score of 10-4.

If Little Rock defeats LSU on Monday then it will set up a Super Regional in Morgantown. However, if LSU wins, then the Mountaineers will head to Baton Rouge.

The winner of Little Rock/LSU vs West Virginia in the Super Regional will advance to Omaha.

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