Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
SURPRISE, Ariz. – No. 2-seed West Virginia rallied from a two-run deficit with a four-run sixth inning and never looked back, defeating Arizona State 7-3 on Friday night to advance to the Big 12 Championship game for the first time since 2019.
Sean Smith finished with three hits and scored two runs for the Mountaineers (39-13). Brodie Kresser had two hits and two RBIs while Tyrus Hall and Armani Guzman both drove in runs.
Reese Bassinger (4-2) picked up the win and Dawson Montesa (1) earned the save.
WVU pitchers held Sun Devils’ slugger Landon Hairston hitless in four at-bats. He was walked once.
Finn Edwards (1-3) suffered the loss for Arizona State (37-19).
After starter Chansen Cole retired Arizona State in order through two innings, the Mountaineers got on the scoreboard first in the second. Sean Smith led off the inning with a double to left field, and with two outs, scored on a base hit by Brodie Kresser.
In the fourth, Dean Toigo blasted a two-run home run to give Arizona State a 2-1 lead.
The Sun Devils extended their lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the sixth, Arizona State lifted projected first-round draft pick Cole Carlon and called on the bullpen, prompting life from the WVU bats. Three straight singles by Smith, Matthew Graveline and Guzman got the Mountaineers within one. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third before Kresser reached on a throwing error by PJ Moutzourdis that allowed Guzman to score the go-ahead run.
Bassinger pitched a 3-up, 3-down seventh but ran into trouble in the eighth. Montesa came in and struck out Austen Roellig looking on a curveball to strand runners at first and third.
WVU added three insurance runs in the eighth. Kresser singled, moving Guzman to third, but the throw hit his helmet and allowed him to score. Hall delivered a two-out single, plating Kresser before coming home to score as he stole second and advanced two bases on an erred throw into shallow center field.
In the ninth, ASU got the first two batters on before Montesa worked out of the jam, getting three straight flyouts to right.
The Mountaineers will face top-seeded Kansas on Saturday night seeking their first conference tournament title since 1996. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from Surprise Stadium.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
