Starting pitching a strength for WVU baseball heading into the postseason

West Virginia will be entering postseason play this week as they start the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday, and they will be relying on a recent run of strong starting pitching.

Griffin Kirn and Jack Kartsonas have been just what the Mountaineers have needed recently, and they are hoping it carries into this week and beyond.

Among all Big 12 pitchers, the pitcher with the best ERA in the conference is Kartsonas. Four spots behind him in ERA is Kirn, as the two of them have proved to be a steady presence for an otherwise up-and-down Mountaineer pitching staff as of late.

Take this weekend for example, on Friday, Kirn was on his ace behavior. Kirn pitched eight innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, striking out 10. While Kirn was charged with the loss as WVU's offense struggled, WVU head coach Steve Sabins is hopeful his offense, which has scored the third-most runs in the league this season, will back Kirn up going forward.

"If Griffin Kern can do that, our offense is probably going to have success over the course of the long haul, because we scored nine runs per inning. So I told Griffin after the game, I feel like he may be the least rewarded pitcher on our staff, because he's pitched so well and hasn't always walked away with the win for the Mountaineers," Sabins said.

Kirn has been WVU's Friday night guy all season long, while Kartsonas came along halfway through Big 12 play.

Kartsonas has six starts during league play this year, and he's pitched at least 6.0 innings in five of those six outings.

This past weekend against Kansas, Kartsonas went seven innings, allowing one run on five hits, striking out eight.

"Incredible effort from Jack Kartsonis.He's been a warrior for us ever since he began starting. So he went seven innings, five hits, one run, eight strikeouts, two walks. He wasn't really his best version in the first two innings, and then really found it and got hot," Sabins said.

Kartsonas would have a visit with the trainer following the game, due to apparent arm pain, and Sabins had no update following the game on Sunday.

Assuming they are both healthy entering this week, but more importantly, next weekend, the Mountaineers are going to be relying upon the duo of Kirn and Kartsonas to try to get them into the later stages of a regional.

Last season, starting pitching was the name of the game for WVU during their regional as well. Derek Clark threw a complete game against Dallas Baptist before Tyler Switalski allowed one run across 7.2 innings against Grand Canyon, putting WVU at 2-0 and in the driver's seat last season, ultimately winning their regional.

"I do feel great about our starting pitching, going in the tournament with some rest and a bye. We're in as good a situation as you could ever ask for this time of year, other than that mentality or the momentum, which some will say is real and some will say is fake," Sabins said.

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