Maxx Yehl strikes out nine and allows one run while Gavin Kelly and Tyrus Hall homer in series-opening win
The No. 15 West Virginia Mountaineers (33-12, 17-8) notched their sixth straight win in Lawrence (KS) over the seventh-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (37-13, 20-5) Friday night 4-1.
West Virginia starting pitcher Maxx Yehl threw his first complete game of his career to collect his seventh win of the season. The redshirt junior allowed just the one run on six hits and recorded nine strikeouts on the evening.
West Virginia sophomore Gavin Kelly put the game’s first run on the board in the top of the third inning with an opposite field solo home run to give the Mountaineers the early 1-0 edge.
In the fourth, senior Sean Smith drove the first pitch of the frame off the high centerfield wall for a triple. Next, junior Armani Guzman grounded into the hole on the right side and despite the diving stop from junior second baseman Cade Baldrige, Guzman beat the throw for an RBI single. Senior Brodie Kresser followed with a line drive to right field, placing runners at the corners. Then, on the double steal, Guzman slid safely home for a 3-0 WVU advantage.
Kansas avoided the shutout in the sixth after graduate senior Jordan Bach delivered a leadoff double to left centerfield. The graduate senior advanced to third on a ground ball to third before junior Brady Ballinger hit a sacrifice fly to left field to cut the WVU lead to two, 3-1.
West Virginia junior Tyrus Hall extended the lead back to three with a solo home run to begin the seventh.
Next up, West Virginia will look to clinch the series over Kansas Saturday afternoon. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.
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