MORGANTOWN — West Virginia baseball coach Steve Sabins was flying high Friday even before his Mountaineers opened their first-ever run for a College Baseball World Series championship with a tense, 7-5 victory over Troy on a two-run, eighth-inning single by third baseman Tyrus Hall, which was the only way it figured to be.

The fact is, when he was announced the winner of the Mark Martin National Baseball Coach of the Year Award, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, just three hours before the historic first pitch involving West Virginia in the featured gem of any college baseball season, he was flying higher than any graduate of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.

kAm(9:=6 t>3CJ–#:55=6 😀 4@?D:56C65 E96 H@C=5’D =2C86DE 2?5 >@DE C6DA64E65 F?:G6CD:EJ DA64:2=:K:?8 😕 2G:2E:@? 2?5 26C@DA246 9:896C 65F42E:@? H:E9 42>AFD6D 😕 s2JE@?2 q6249[ u=@C:52[ 2?5 !C6D4@EE[ pC:K@?2[ :E 😀 D276 E@ 2DDF>6 E92E :E 😀 92C5=J @H? 7@C :?DECF4E:@? 😕 9:EE:?8[ A:E49:?8 @C 7:6=5:?8 6G6? 😕 E9:D 286 H96C6 32D632== 2?2=JE:4D 2C6 ?62C=J 2D 4@>A=:42E65 2D E9@D6 FD65 😕 E96 26C@DA246 :?5FDECJ]k^Am

kAm%96 ECFE9 :D[ @?=J r9F4< *6286C[ E96 (6DE ‘:C8:?:2? H9@ H2D E96 7:CDE >2? E@ 3C62< E9C@F89 E96 DA665 @7 D@F?5[ 92D AC@323=J D@2C65 9:896C E92? E9:D 9@?@C E2<6D $23:?D 3FE 9:D C@FE6 E@ 9:D C64@C5 H2D 72C DEC2:89E6C E92? H2D $23:?D[ H9@ 92D 7@==@H65 E96 25G:46 @7 $2:?E uC2?4:D 56 $2=6D[ H9@ D2:5 “w2G6 A2E:6?46 H:E9 2== E9:?8D[ 3FE[ 7:CDE @7 2== H:E9 J@FCD6=7” E@ >2<6 E96 ;F>A 7C@> @3D4FC:EJ E@ E96 E@A @7 4@==686 32D632== ;FDE 2 >@?E9 2?5 2 52J A2DE 9:D bhE9 3:CE952J]k^Am

kAm%96 2??@F?46>6?E @7 9:D H:??:?8 E9:D 2H2C5 E6DE65 H92E 92D 364@>6 9:D =686?52CJ A2E:6?46 2D 96 ;@<65 2E E96 AC6DD 4@?76C6?46’D 4@?4=FD:@? 2D 96 CFD965 2H2J[ “x’5 DE2J 96C6 2?5 46=63C2E6[ 3FE x’G6 8@E 2 82>6 E@ 86E E@]”k^Am

kAm%96 C@FE6 96 7@==@H65 46CE2:?=J 7:ED E96 E:>6D 😕 E96 DA@CE 96 4@2496D[ 92G:?8 A=2J65 2E p?86=:?2 r@>>F?:EJ r@==686 2?5 s2JE@?2 q6249 r@>>F?:EJ r@==686 367@C6 36:?8 C64CF:E65 E@ A=2J 2E ~<=29@>2 $E2E6]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 2 >65:42= C65D9:CE D62D@? H:E9 E96 r@H3@JD[ $23:?D EC2?D76CC65 E@ t>3CJ\#:55=6 2?5 H2D ?2>65 E96 $F? r@?76C6?46 !=2J6C @7 E96 *62C 2?5 2? }pxp p==\p>6C:42? 367@C6 6>32C<:?8 FA@? 2 4@249:?8 :?E6C?D9:A E92E D2H 9:> D6CG6 E9C66 J62CD 2E ~<=29@>2 $E2E6 367@C6 ;@:?:?8 #2?5J |2K6J 2E (6DE ‘:C8:?:2 😕 a_`e]k^Am

kAmu@C ?:?6 J62CD 96 =62C?65 2E |2K6J’D 66 2D |2K6J 3F:=E 32D632== 7C@> 2? 2E9=6E:4 56A2CE>6?E 27E6CE9@F89E E92E 42>6 4=@D6 E@ 36:?8 5:D32?565 :?E@ H92E 😀 ?@H 2 ?2E:@?2= 4@?E6?56C A=2J:?8 367@C6 D6==@FE 4C@H5D 😕 2 >@56C? 32==A2C< E92E >2J ?665 E@ 36 6IA2?565 E@ 7F=7:== E96 56>2?5 7@C E:4<6ED]k^Am

kAmw6 3642>6 3@E9 2? 6IE6?D:@? @7 |2K6J 2?5 G6CJ >F49 9:D @H? >2? H96? |2K6J @AE65 E@ C6E:C6 27E6C E96 a_ac D62D@?[ 2 D62D@? 😕 H9:49 $23:?D D6CG65 ?@E @?=J 2D |2K6J’D E@A 2DD:DE2?E 3FE 2D “4@249 😕 H2:E:?8]”k^Am

kAmw6 2?5 |2K6J D<6E4965 @FE E96 AC@8C2> 96 H@F=5 :?96C:E 2?5 E96 EC2?D:E:@? H2D D62>=6DD[ H:??:?8 cc 82>6D 😕 9:D 7:CDE D62D@? 2?5 H:??:?8 E96 q:8 `a E:E=6 2?5 9@DE:?8 2 #68:@?2= 2?5 C6249:?8 2 $FA6C #68:@?2= 2?5 E96? E9:D J62C H:??:?8 cd 82>6D 3FE 72==:?8 2 82>6 D9@CE @7 H:??:?8 E96 q:8 `a %@FC?2>6?E]k^Am

kAm%96 |@F?E2:?66CD E96? C6A62E65 2D #68:@?2= 9@DE[ 2=D@ H:??:?8 E92E E@FC?2>6?E 😕 5C2>2E:4 72D9:@? 2?5 H96? &r{p[ E96 ?2E:@?’D }@] ` E62>[ H2D FAD6E 2?5 6=:>:?2E65[ 3C@F89E E92E $FA6C #68:@?2= E@ |@C82?E@H?]k^Am

kAm$23:?D 3F:=E 9:D EH@ E62>D @? C@4< D@=:5 7F?52>6?E2=D[ 6>A92D:K:?8 A:E49:?8 7:CDE 2?5 E9:D D62D@? 92G:?8 =67E\92?56C |2II *69= H:? q:8 `a !:E496C @7 E96 *62C 9@?@CD 2?5 36 ;@:?65 @? E96 p==\q:8 `a E62> 3J r92?D6? r@=6 2?5 x2? z@C?]k^Am

kAmqFE 96 AFE E96 C6DE @7 E96 E62> E@86E96C 2D :7 :E H6C6 2 ;:8D2H AFKK=6 E92E 492?865 52:=J[ H:E9 2? :?7:6=5 E92E :?4=F565 7@FC 7@C>6C D9@CEDE@AD 7@C 2E9=6E:4:D>j H:E9 F?>2E4965 DA665 7C@> pC>2?: vFK>2?[ H9@ >@G65 7C@> @FE7:6=5 E@ 7:CDE 32D6 3FE 5:5 D@[ EJA:42==J[ 😕 2 9FCCJ 2D 96 2=D@ E:65 E96 D49@@= DE@=6? 32D6 C64@C5j >2<:?8 DFC6 E92E 96 2=H2JD 7@F?5 2 A=246 D@>6H96C6 7@C G6E6C2? qC@5:6 zC6DD6C[ H9@D6 A@D:E:@? H2D D:>A=J “H:??6C]” w6 D6EE=65 @? !2F= $49@6?76=5 😕 46?E6C7:6=5 E@ 7@==@H 😕 2 =:?6 @7 8C62E 5676?56CD 3FE 25565 D@=:5 @776?D6 2?5 E96 J62C’D 3:886DE 9:E[ 2 82>6\H:??:?8 9@>6 CF? 282:?DE z6?EF4

kAmq=6DD65 H:E9 92G:?8 E96 =628F6’D >@DE G6CD2E:=6 2?5 >2J36 36DE A=2J6C 😕 v2G:? z6==J[ 96 7:8FC65 @FE 2 E9C66\D:565 C@E2E:@? E92E 925 z6==J 42E49:?8 >@DE @7 E96 E:>6 H:E9 |2EE96H vC2G6=:?6 😕 =67E[ 3FE H96? z6==J H2D?’E 42E49:?8[ $23:?D >@G65 9:> E@ D64@?5 32D6[ >@G65 vC2G6=:?6 369:?5 E96 A=2E6[ AFE zC6DD6C 2E 7:CDE[ >@G65 vFK>2? E@ E96 @FE7:6=5]k^Am

kAmp?5 96 D2G65 E96 36DE 7@C =2DE[ E2<:?8 G6E6C2? q6? {F>D56?[ H9@ 925 366? 9:556? 2H2J @? E96 36?49 7@C >@DE @7 E96 J62C[ 2?5 >256 2 DE2CE6C @7 9:> 7@C E96 }rppD 2?5 96 AC@5F465 2 ]daa 2G6C286 2?5 E9C66 9@>6CD 9625:?8 :?E@ E96 r($]k^Am

kAmw6 5:C64E65 82>6D E96 H2J w:E494@4< 5:C64E65 >@G:6D[ <66A:?8 6G6CJE9:?8 2 DFDA6?D6 7C@> HC:E:?8 E96 =:?6FA 42C5 E@ :?\82>6 564:D:@?D 36 :E 3F?E[ DE62= @C C6=J @? A@H6C[ 2?5 6?565 :E 2== H:E9 D@>6 <:?5 @7 F?7@C6D66? 6?5:?8]k^Am

kAmp== E96 H9:=6 96 <6AE 2 E:89E[ H2C> E9C66\H2J 4@??64E:@? 36EH66? 9:>D6=7[ 9:D A=2J6CD 2?5 (6DE ‘:C8:?:2 72?D]k^Am

kAm*6D[ H:??:?8 >2EE6C65[ 3FE E9:D H2D >@C6 A6CD@?2=[ >@C6 6>@E:@?2=] *@F 4@F=5 6IA6C:6?46 :E J@FCD6=7 6G6CJ E:>6 (‘& =:?65 FA 2=@?8 E96 7:CDE 32D6 =:?6 27E6C G:4E@C:6D 2?5 ;@:?65 H:E9 :ED 72? 32D6 E@ D:?8 E96 E62>’D 2?E96>[ “%2<6 |6 w@>6[ r@F?ECJ #@25D]”k^Am

kAmw6 AFE :E 36DE H96? (‘& BF2=:7:65 7@C E9:D 7:CDE EC:A E@ ~>292]k^Am

kAm“$@ 6I4:E65 7@C E96 72?D[” 96 D2:5] “%9:D 😀 2 DE2E6 x 2=H2JD E2=< 23@FEj :E’D ;FDE @?6 @7 E9@D6 DE2E6D H96C6 :E >62?D >@C6[ 2?5 :E 766=D 5:776C6?E[ 2?5 J@F 766= E9:D F?:EJ H:E9 E96 A6@A=6 2?5 E96 72?D] *@F 766= =:<6 J@F AC@G:565 E96> D@>6E9:?8 DA64:2=]k^Am

kAm“x’> ;@88:?8 @FE E@ E96 E9:C5 32D6 3@I[ 2?5 A6@A=6 2C6 D4C62>:?8[ ‘%92?< J@FP’ p?5 J@F’C6 =:<6[ ‘x’> ;FDE 8@:?8 E@ H@C<[ =:<6[ E92?< J@F]’ x’> ;FDE 2AAC64:2E:G6 E@ 36 96C6 2?5 92G6 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ] *@F ;FDE 92G6 A6@A=6 H96C6 :E C62==J >62?D D@>6E9:?8 E@ E96>]k^Am

kAm“(96? J@F’C6 36=E:?8 r@F?ECJ #@25D 2E E96 E@A @7 J@FC =F?8D[ 2?5 J@F’C6 =@@<:?8 FA E96C6[ 2?5 J@F’C6 D66:?8 E96 6I4:E6>6?E 😕 E96:C 7246D[ 2?5 J@F @H[ 27E6C E96 #68:@?2=[ x H2D =@@<:?8 FA E96C6[ 2?5 E96C6 H2D 8C@H? 2DD >6? 4CJ:?8 😕 E96 DE2?5D] p?5 J@F’C6 =:<6[ x E9:?< E9:D 😀 :>A24E:?8 D@>63@5J[ C:89En *@F 4@F=5?’E H2?E 2?JE9:?8 >@C6]”k^Am

kAm%96 H@C5D H6C6 H:D6[ H2C> 2?5 H@CE9J @7 36:?8 DA@<6?[ 3FE E96J H6C6 ?@E ;FDE 9:D 766=:?8] %96J H6C6 H@C5D 7C@> E96 =@4<6C C@@> E92E H6C6 649@:?8 E9C@F89 9:>]k^Am

kAm“(6 92G6 2 C62==J F?:BF6 8C@FA @7 A6@A=6 H9@ 92G6 4@>6 E@86E96C E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8 DA64:2= 2?5 >2I:>:K6 E96:C E:>6 2?5 @AA@CEF?:E:6D[ 2?5 E96:C 72>:=:6D 2C6 :?4C65:3=6[” 96 D2:5] “%96 H:G6D[ 7:2?4é6D[ 8:C=7C:6?5D[ 2?5 <:5D @7 @FC DE277 2C6 23D@=FE6=J :?4C65:3=6 :?5:G:5F2=D — E96 36DE 😕 E96 H@C=5] x H@F=5?’E EC256 2 D:?8=6 @?6 @7 E96>] x’> ;FDE D@ AC@F5 @7 E9@D6 A6@A=6 3642FD6 E96J =@G6 E@ H@C<[ E96J =@G6 6249 @E96C[ 2?5 x E9:?< E92E’D ;FDE H92E E9:D E62> 😀 2== 23@FE]”k^Am

kAmxE H2D E96 6DD6?46 @7 H92E >256 9:> r@249 @7 E96 *62C[ 2? 2H2C5 E92E ECF=J H2D D92C65 E9C@F89 E96 E62>[ E96 D49@@=[ E96 4:EJ 2?5 E96 DE2E6]k^Am