West Virginia Hammers Cincinnati to Advance to the Big 12 Championship Semifinals

Arlington, TX – West Virginia starting pitcher Griffin Kirn produced another quality start while the Mountaineers (41-13) got out of their hitting slump and manufactured 10 runs to take down the Cincinnati Bearcats (32-24) in the Big 12 Baseball Championship quarterfinals Thursday afternoon 10-3.

Cincinnati took the early lead in the top of the first after redshirt senior Kerrington Cross worked a leadoff walk and sophomore Jack Natili followed with an RBI double down the third base line to the left corner for a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth, West Virginia senior Kyle West line the 3-2 pitch over the right field wall for the game tying leadoff home run. Then, junior Sam White was hit on the 0-2 pitch and junior Logan Sauve received a four-pitch walk to put two aboard before sophomore Spencer Barnett hit a hard ground ball into the hole on the right side Cincinnati freshman first baseman Quinton Coats dove in knocked down, but Barnett hustled down the line for the go-ahead RBI single.

Senior Grant Hussey kept the inning going, driving the ball into the turf back up the middle off the glove and nose of Bearcats freshman relief pitcher Adam Buczkowski for an RBI single, senior Brodie Kresser hit a deep RBI sacrifice fly to centerfield and West capped off the five-run fourth inning with an RBI walk and a 5-1 WVU advantage.

Cincinnati closed the gap in the fifth after senior Tommy O’Connor and senior Donovan Ford led the inning with consecutive singles to place runners at the corners before Cross hit into a 6-4-3 double play to bring a runner across, followed by a solo home run from Natili to cut the WVU lead to two, 5-3.

West Virginia extended its leads in the sixth after Gavin Kelly lined the first pitch of the bottom of the frame, Grant Hussey drew a walk and Kresser singled through the left side for an RBI single. Then, with two outs and the bases loaded, junior Sam White ripped a two RBI single through the right side to give the Mountaineers an 8-3 lead.

West Virginia added a pair of runs in the seventh when Barnett drew a leadoff walk and Kelly and Hussey delivered singles to load the bases before Kresser hit a sacrifice fly to right field for his third RBI of the afternoon and King hit a ground ball to second to bring a run across for the 10-3 advantage.

West Virginia starting pitcher Griffin Kirn tossed his first career complete game, recording nine strikeouts for his fifth win of the season as the Mountaineers captured the 10-3 decision.

West Virginia will meet Arizona in the semifinals Friday afternoon, with the first pitch set for 5:00 p.m. EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.

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