The West Virginia University baseball team delivered a dominating 10-3 victory over Cincinnati in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals Thursday, thanks to a gutsy, complete-game performance by pitcher Griffin Kirn.
The win pushed the Mountaineers into the semifinals, marking another historic moment in what has become their most successful season in program history.
Kirn, a transfer from NCAA Division II Quincy University, threw 129 pitches, striking out nine Bearcats and walking just one over nine innings. His effort helped seal WVU’s 41st win of the season—a new record in the team’s 133-year history. The senior left-hander allowed three runs on eight hits and was praised for his toughness and focus.
“Griffin Kirn was ridiculous — he threw 129 pitches – each of them with conviction and grit,” said head coach Steve Sabins. “He’s a horse. He looked like he could have thrown 150 pitches today.”
Kirn improved to 5-2 on the season and now has 95 strikeouts. With the NCAA tournament looming, he’s on track to reach the 100-strikeout milestone. His confidence showed after the game, as he explained, “I felt like I just got better as the game went on – I wanted the ball.”
The Mountaineers will now face No. 4 seed Arizona in today’s Big 12 semifinal matchup at 5 p.m. at Globe Life Field. The Wildcats previously won two out of three games against WVU in March during a series in Morgantown, including a grueling 16-inning opener.
Thursday’s win was also a personal milestone for Sabins, who secured his first Big 12 tournament victory as head coach at Globe Life Field. The Texas native has been with the program for a decade and emphasized the significance of the win for the state.
“The record means a lot,” Sabins said. “West Virginia only has 1.8 million people. We have to recruit tough kids, develop them and make them better. Every day we go to work for our state, university and community.”
The game took a sharp turn in the fourth inning when WVU erupted for five runs after trailing 1-0. Senior left fielder Kyle West broke up a no-hitter with a solo home run, his 10th of the season, igniting the team’s offense.
“It was a weight lifted off of our shoulders,” said West. “As a team, we set the tone. We’re a relentless offense.”
WVU’s bats came alive from that point. Spencer Barnett added an RBI single, and Grant Hussey’s liner struck Cincinnati pitcher Adam Buczowski, resulting in another run and Buczowski’s exit due to injury. Brodie Kresser’s sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk to West pushed the score to 5-1.
The Mountaineers added to their lead in the sixth and seventh innings. Sam White drove in two runs in the sixth, and Kresser picked up his third RBI of the game.
Skylar King extended the lead to 10-3 with a fielder’s choice. Freshman second baseman Gavin Kelly also contributed, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored.
“Gavin’s one of the best freshmen in the country,” Sabins said proudly.
WVU has now won all four meetings against Cincinnati this season and snapped a troubling streak of six losses in their last seven games. With momentum on their side and history in the making, the Mountaineers now have their eyes set on their first conference tournament title since 1996.
The Big 12 semifinal against Arizona is shaping up to be another chance for the Mountaineers to prove they belong among the nation’s elite.
