What players could return for West Virginia next season?

Sencire Harris

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It was an unexpected marathon on Friday night and Saturday morning at Kendrick Family Ballpark.

The first pitch at 6:35 p.m. and the final pitch at 12:10 a.m., bookended a 16-inning game, WVU’s longest since 1937, lasting 5 hours and 34 minutes.

The Wildcats, winners of nine straight, and the Mountaineers, a team that had only dropped one game on the year, met on Friday. What was Arizona’s first-ever Big 12 road game turned into a never-ending battle.

After trailing 4-0 in the third inning, West Virginia tied the game in the ninth, but Arizona prevailed in the end.

After not scoring since the third inning, the Wildcats picked things up offensively 13 innings later, scoring two runs with two outs in the 16th inning as a two-run single from Richie Morales helped push the Wildcats to a 6-4 win on Friday night.

The Mountaineers would threaten multiple times in extra innings, stranding seven runners on base in the extra frames, while they stranded 17 on the night, in what was WVU’s longest game since 1937.

Griffin Kirn did not have his best stuff on Friday, and it was evident early. The left-handed pitcher’s pitch count mounted early, and his command wavered. Kirn tossed 22 pitches in the first frame, and only 10 of them were strikes, as he escaped the inning without allowing any damage. He wouldn’t be as lucky in the second, as the inning started with a leadoff walk before he allowed a single on a 1-2 count. The Wildcats would then advance both runners as Kirn attempted a pickoff attempt and it hit the runner on second, putting runners on second and third with no outs.

TJ Adams made Kirn pay, plating two on a two-run single up the middle, as Arizona took the first lead of the game. Kirn would throw 49 pitches in the first two innings, and only 27 of them were strikes.

Kirn was once again touched up in the third, as his defense couldn’t help him out. The inning started with a single, and then two batters later, Tommy Splaine doubled for the Wildcats to put them in business. Kirn got a strikeout for the second out of the inning and then appeared to have the third out.

Richie Morales hit a hard ground ball that hopped in front of WVU second baseman Sam White. White couldn’t handle the hop and would be charged with his sixth error of the year as the Wildcats led 3-0. After a walk, Kirn’s night would be over as Robby Porco came in with two outs and the bases loaded. An infield single added another for Arizona, as the inning ended with Arizona leading 4-0.

Kirn finished the game tossing 2.2 innings on 73 pitches thrown. He struck out four, walked four, and gave up four runs on four hits.

Porco would do his job as a middleman, surrendering four hits, but no runs in 2.2 innings pitched.

The Wildcats’ starting pitcher Collin McKinney was able to keep West Virginia’s lineup guessing early on. He had five strikeouts through the first three innings, allowing no hits in the process.

West Virginia got on board in the fourth, as Jace Rinehart as he doubled to start the inning, before Skylar King singled him home, putting the game at 4-1.

West Virginia loaded the bases in the fifth, but they couldn’t capitalize as Gavin Kelly struck out to end the inning.

The Mountaineers loaded the bases again in the sixth, but this time they would come through. Logan Sauve singled with two outs and the bases juiced, scoring two runs, as WVU trailed 4-3. White would then come to the plate, working a 3-2 count, but he flew out to the warning track to end the inning.

The Mountaineers would threaten again in the eighth, as Kyle West was hit by a pitch to start the inning and WVU then had a runner on second with no outs. Michael Perazza would then strike out before Brodie Kresser hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

McKinney finished the game tossing 4.2 innings, allowing three hits, walking four, and giving up one run and six strikeouts for Arizona. Casey Hintz followed him, tossing 1.1 innings, giving up two runs on two hits, walking two, and striking out two.

Following Hintz was Garrett Hicks, who threw the final three innings of the game for the Wildcats. Hicks did exactly what his team needed him to do, shutting out West Virginia over two innings before he handed the ball to Tony Pluta in the ninth.

White reached on a single with one out in the inning before Kelly singled with two outs, putting two runners on with one out. King would step to the plate for West Virginia, hitting a single to score Jorge Valdes who pinch-ran for White. The inning ended on the same play, as King inexplicably tried to get to second base, with the winning run already standing on third base, but was thrown out in the process, sending the game to extra innings.

Both teams went scoreless in the 10th, as Jack Kartsonas pitched a scoreless frame while Pluta did the same thing.

Kartsonas started the 11th inning by giving up a leadoff single to Aaron Walton, setting up the middle of the Arizona order with no outs and a runner on base. Kartsonas got a strikeout, before he would be replaced by Chase Meyer.

Walton stole second, before advancing to third on a flyout. Meyer then hit a batter, putting runners on the corners with two outs as Splaine stepped to the plate. The count ran full as Splaine then walked to load the bases. Meyer then got a ground out to end the inning, very animated in the process trying to fire up his team.

Kresser took that momentum into his at-bat to start the inning, singling with two strikes, before he advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sauve advanced him to third on a groundout, as Kresser stood as the winning run.

It would be White’s at-bat normally, but after he was run for in the ninth, it was Ben Lumsden who came off the bench for the Mountaineers. Lumsden struck out on three pitches, bringing Rinehart to the plate with two outs. Rinehart worked a walk setting the stage for the true freshman Kelly. Kelly would be unable to deliver as he was struck out looking.

Meyer would keep things going while he faced the minimum in the 12th, putting the game back in the hands of the Mountaineer offense. Hunter Alberini was brought into the game in the 11th and stayed on for the 12th. He made quick work of the Mountaineers in the frame, striking out the side. Meyer returned the favor in the 13th, getting three outs in a row, sending the game to the bottom of the 13th.

Kresser worked a walk and stole second, putting him in scoring position with one out. He advanced to third on a groundout from Sauve, as Lumsden had his chance at redemption. He would not redeem himself, striking out to end the inning. Meyer tossed another zero in the 14th before West Virginia once again threatened in the bottom of the inning.

Kelly reached on a wild pitch on a strikeout before King laid down a bunt to put runners on first and second with one out. Armani Guzman, who pinch-ran earlier in the game, stepped to the plate. He struck out on a full count, giving Ellis Garcia who came in as a defensive replacement, a chance to win the game. He would strike out as the Mountaineers went to the 15th inning.

Grant Hussey started the bottom of the 15th with a 111 MPH rocket off the bat of Hussey that looked to be a routine flyout. The Arizona center fielder misplayed the ball, dropping it, and then Kresser failed to get the runner over. Arizona then walked Sauve, before Lumsden struck out.

Because WVU burned the designated hitter, Meyer had to hit for himself and struck out, sending the game to the 16th inning.

Arizona then started the 16th with a leadoff double from Mason White, putting him immediately in scoring position. Meyer then hit the second batter of the inning, putting two on with no outs. Meyer got one out on a fielder’s choice before Splaine stepped to the plate for Arizona.

In came Luke Lyman, as he issued a walk to load the bases, before Andrew Cain came into the game to hit for Arizona. Lyman struck him out, as there were two outs and the bases juiced for Morales. The count started 2-0 before Lyman battled to get it to 2-2. Morales fought off the 2-2 pitch before the count was worked full. Morales won the battle, hitting a two-run single up the middle, giving Arizona a 6-4 lead and their first runs since the third inning.

Matthew Martinez came on to pitch for Arizona, three outs away from closing the door. He did just that, retiring the side in order, completing the win for the Wildcats.

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