Projecting Available Pitchers for WVU and Pitch Counts for Regional Final

We've got a good one for you tonight, folks.

West Virginia and Kentucky meet for the third and final time in a game that will decide who will advance to the super regional round of the NCAA Tournament. The first two meetings were full of action — a bunch of hits, walks, hit by pitches, errors, web gems, and a flair for the dramatics. More of it will be on the way tonight as these two slug it out to be the last one standing in the Morgantown Regional.

The big question coming into tonight's game, for both teams, is the pitching situation. Who starts? Who is available? How long can each guy go? In a do-or-die scenario, I'd have to imagine that it will be all hands on deck for both teams.

Return of the Maxx?

Maxx Yehl — WVU Athletics Communications

It's possible that the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year gets a second crack at the Cats, according to head coach Steve Sabins. “I think he’s feeling pretty good. He threw a little bit at the back end of this game (versus Wake Forest) and said, ‘I feel fine. I feel way better than I thought.’ His shoulder tightened up on him yesterday, and I think he was maybe having some muscle spasms or something going on with his shoulder. But he was like, ‘I feel pretty good.’ So I wouldn’t be shocked if we can get this thing to Monday, that that guy could potentially be in a game.”

Yehl threw 36 pitches in the Saturday loss to Kentucky before being pulled. If healthy and feeling completely energized, I'd imagine he'd be good to go 70 pitches or so. That would be a massive boost for the Mountaineers if he is in good shape and pitching like he has all year. Like everyone on that WVU pitching staff, he's a competitor, so he's going to want the ball. It's up to Sabins and the trainers to make sure he is in a good enough spot to toe the rubber.

Ian Korn, who came in relief of Yehl in the first inning of that game, worked a solid 3.2 innings, tossing 70 pitches. In any other situation, he'd likely be done for the weekend/series, or he could maybe give an inning. I don't want to necessarily put a cap on what I think his ceiling is, but throwing roughly 30-35 pitches seems doable.

Chansen Cole would be the one that you would probably assume is either unavailable or extremely limited, but because he's a heavy sinkerballer/changeup guy, his body is able to bounce back much quicker. Before WVU took the lead at the top of the ninth last night, he was up and loosening in the bullpen. Sabins will be smart with his usage, but when he's pumping strikes, he can clip off innings in a hurry. I wouldn't be surprised to see him throw in the neighborhood of 40-50 pitches, if used.

Beyond the starters potentially being able to get back on the mound, WVU will not be afraid to throw Carson Estridge or Reese Bassinger back out there. Estridge is at 37 pitches for the weekend, while Bassinger is at 66. Bassinger's high for a weekend is 97, which game against Cincinnati, so he should be able to give the Mountaineers an inning or two, if needed.

Josh Surigao didn't have it last night, but he is someone who could be called in to face Kentucky's top lefties and to flip Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell around at some point. Sabins mentioned in his postgame press conference that he felt good about how he would matchup against those guys, so he would fully expect that strategy to be in play again.

With the season on the line, both coaches are not going to be hesitant to throw certain guys. Buckle up, folks. It's going to be another long bar-fight type of game.

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