MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — “Magic Jack” Kartsonas has secured the Sunday starter role. The fifth-year Kent State transfer now leads the surging Mountaineers. Read more Magic Jack leads WVU to 14th straight victory below.
The Good
Kartsonas delivered another gem on Saturday afternoon. WVU moved the game up a day for Easter celebrations. He crafted a one-hit, three-walk masterpiece with minimal effort. The veteran right-hander improved to 4-1 this season. His performance helped WVU defeat Cincinnati 10-5. He allowed just one earned run in six innings.
This achievement solves a major problem for Coach Steve Sabins. The Mountaineers struggled to find stability in the Sunday slot.
WVU began with junior Robbie Porco. The fire-balling righty dominated fall and winter sessions. Porco later developed control issues. Sabins then tried junior Carson Estridge in the role.
Estridge showed inconsistency as a starter. Sabins returned him to the bullpen. Estridge excelled there during last year’s super regionals.
Enter Kartsonas, right on cue. He now boasts two stellar starts. Meanwhile, Estridge dominates from the pen.
Sabins owns this year. No doubt about it.
Mountaineer bats continue their blistering pace. They hammered out 13 more hits against Cincinnati. Junior catcher Logan Sauve blasted another homer. MLB scouts project him as a sure-fire draft pick.
The team shows incredible depth.
Four bench players could start elsewhere. Alex Marot, Ben Lumsden, Mike Perazza, and Ellis Garcia would start for most Big 12 teams.
The Mountaineers now appear ready to host postseason play. They could secure both regional and super-regional tournaments.
The Bad
The Cincinnati Bearcats are just not playing good baseball. While they were competitive in all three games, key mistakes bit the team throughout the weekend. Their three front-line starters all have legit Big 12 stuff, and they kept their team in the games early, but their bullpen faltered.
For WVU, throwing opposing runners out stealing has become an area of concern. The Bearcats ran on the WVU battery mates consistently this series, with great success. While Cincinnati is known for their speed on the basepaths, this is an area that may need to be addressed as competition stiffens.
The middle of WVU’s bullpen has been inconsistent, surrendering late runs to Cincinnati in both Friday and Saturday games.
In reality, it might not matter much, as Sabins has three front line closers in Reese Bassinger, Chase Meyer and now Estridge. All three can throw multiple innings, and the key is arm fatigue going into the final month of the season.
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The Ugly
Cincinnati’s team chemistry did not look good. There were several evident and vocal arguments among teammates in the outfield, as Bearcat players were yelling at each other over fly-ball responsibility.
The frustration seeped into the bench, where second year head coach Jordan Bischel complained bitterly throughout the game at just about everything. No doubt it was a long bus ride back to central Ohio.
Fun Fact
Morgantown native Aaron Jamison lost his WVU spot last fall. The former freshman starter found success at a Kansas junior college. He signed with South Carolina recently. He keeps three full years of eligibility. Good luck, Aaron! We’re glad you left the Big 12!
The Mountaineers next face Penn State. The non-conference game starts at 6:00 PM EST. Fans can hear all games on WVTheTorch.com. Nine radio stations carry the WVU flagship broadcast.
Magic Jack Leads WVU to 14th Straight Victory
Staff Report
