By: James Gravley | WV Sports Chat
The West Virginia baseball program is headed west for the first time this year as they prepare to face Big 13 foe Arizona State for the time since the Sun Devils joined the Big 12.
WVU is entering on a six-game winning streak and has jumped up in the Top 25 to No. 17 while Arizona State has also made the move inside the Top 25 at No. 22.
— WVU is 17-4 (5-1 Big 12)
— Arizona State is 19-6 (4-2 Big 12)
This game has big time implications on the first half of the Big 12 conference.
Here is why:
WVU and UCF are tied for first place in the Big 12 (5-1) and the Mountaineers have a tough opponent this weekend in Arizona State (4-2) followed by UCF the following weekend. A lot of big time games coming up for WVU and UCF/ASU to determine the leader in Big 12 baseball ranks over the next couple of weekends.
We should — key word SHOULD — see by the next two weekends who’s for real in the Big 12 and who’s pretending. I’d say there’s still a possibility nine; yes nine teams make it to the postseason out of the Big 12 this season.
On a hot streak is Gavin Kelly and Paul Schoenfeld. Kelly has a hitting streak up to 17 games while Schoenfeld has a hitting streak up to 10 games.
Schoenfeld is 10-14 (.714 average) in his lad 14 at bats. Thats a 3-game series against BYU and the one midweek game against Marshall. That is called being hot at the plate and seeing the ball extremely well. Much different pace for Schoenfeld now than earlier this year.
Expect Schoefeld to stay hot in the desert.
Also expect Maxx Yehl, who’s obviously bounced back from Tommy John surgery and missing all of last season, to stay hot in the desert.
Yehl will pitch Saturday and enters play leading WVU in strikeouts with 44.
Yehl’s combined stats the last two outings for WVU:
15 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 22 K — that is impressive numbers and he has now seen his name rise up the draft boards, and rightfully so.
Here are the expected starters this weekend for the two programs.
Friday:
RHP Dawson Montesa 3-2, 4.65 ERA, 39 K, 13 BB, 31.0 IP) vs. LHP Cole Carlon (2-1, 3.19 ERA, 48 K, 14 BB, 31.0 IP)
Saturday:
LHP Maxx Yehl (4-0, 0.84 ERA, 44 K, 11 BB, 32.0 IP) vs. RHP Alex Overbay (0-0, 5.19 ERA, 22 K, 12 BB, 17.1 IP)
Sunday:
RHP Chansen Cole (3-0, 4.00 ERA, 29 K, 14 BB, 27.0 IP) vs. RHP Kole Klecker (3-1, 5.61 ERA, 27 K, 9 BB, 25.2 IP)
Arizona State is led by Landon Hairston, who is hitting .452 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs on the season, all team-highs. LHP Cole Carlon, who starts Friday, leads the way on the mound pitching to a 3.19 ERA in 31.0 innings pitched, while registering 48 strikeouts.
Photo: Shanna Rose – WV Sports Chat
