MORGANTOWN \u2014 Generally speaking, with a team like West Virginia the spotlight shines most brightly on the No. 1 pitcher because chances are you aren\u2019t going to advance very far if he isn\u2019t at the top of his game and as the Mountaineers ready themselves to host a tough field of Wake Forest, Kentucky and Binghamton at Kendrick Family Ballpark that would bring star left-hander Maxx Yehl front and center.<\/p>\n
But even though Yehl\u2019s 8-2 record and miniscule 2.16 earned run average make it seem certain that he must give them victories in the games in which he pitches to go deep into the tournament, just as strong a case can be made for West Virginia\u2019s most important player in post-season being not the man who throws the ball but instead to the man who catches it \u2014 and even more important \u2014 hits it and that is Gavin Kelly.<\/p>\n
kAm(9:=6 *69= A:E496D @?46 2 H66<[ >2J36 E@ 36 E9CFDE :?E@ 2 D9@CE C@=6 2 D64@?5 E:>6 :7 E96 D:EF2E:@? 56>2?5D :E[ z6==J A=2JD 6G6CJ 52J[ 92G:?8 >:DD65 @?=J @?6 82>6 2== D62D@? 2?5 92D 366? E96 E62>\u2019D =625:?8 9:EE6C ?@E @?=J H:E9 2 ]bfe 32EE:?8 2G6C286 2?5 DE2886C:?8=J 9:89 `]bg_ @? 32D6 A=FD D=F88:?8 2G6C286]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw6 =625D E96 E62> \ud83d\ude15 9@>6 CF?D H:E9 `b 2?5 #qx H:E9 cg[ 3FE 2=D@ 2 566A 5:G6 :?E@ 9:556? DE2E:DE:4D D9@HD ;FDE 9@H >F49 E96J ?665 9:D @776?D6]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmx? (‘&\u2019D `c =@DD6D[ z6==J \ud83d\ude00 2 >6C6 >@CE2= H:E9 2 ]aff 2G6C286[ ;FDE E9C66 @7 9:D 9@>6 CF?D 2?5 `a @7 9:D #qx H9:=6 96 9:ED ]c_e \ud83d\ude15 H:??:?8 82>6D[ H9:49 4@:?4:56?E2==J \ud83d\ude00 E96 D2>6 2G6C286 %65 (:==:2>D C68:DE6C65 2D E96 =2DE >2;@C =628F6 32EE6C E@ 9:E ]c__ \ud83d\ude15 2 D62D@?]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmr@?D:56C:?8 E92E[ 2D E96 42E496C[ 96 92?5=6D E96 32== >@C6 E92? 2?J @E96C[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 A:E496C] w6 92D E9C@H? @FE beT @7 E96 32D6 DE62=6CD 8@:?8 282:?DE 9:>[ 92D C6DE65 ?@E @? E96 36?49 3FE 2E D64@?5 32D6 \ud83d\ude15 82>6D 96 5:5?\u2019E 42E49[ :E D66>D E92E 96 \ud83d\ude00 7C@?E 2?5 46?E6C \ud83d\ude15 6BF2E:?8 A6C7@C>2?46 E@ G:4E@CJ 7@C 2 |@F?E2:?66CD E62> E92E =@@] uC:52J H96? A=2J 368:?D 282:?DE q:?892>E@?]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%@ >2<6 H92E z6==J 92D 244@>A=:D965 >@C6 :>AC6DD:G6 4@?D:56C 96 92D 5@?6 :E 2D 2 D@A9@>@C6 4@>:?8 @77 2 ]ahh 7C6D9>2? D62D@? 3FE F?56C E96 AC6DDFC6 @7 36:?8 2?@:?E65 2D 2 DE2C @7 E96 7FEFC6 3J r@249 $E6G6 $23:?D \ud83d\ude15 9:D AC6D62D@? AC6DD 4@?76C6?46 H96? 96 D2:5ik^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201cv2G:? \ud83d\ude00 8@:?8 E@ 42E49 7@C FD[ H:E9@FE 2 5@F3E[\u201d DE2E65 (6DE ‘:C8:?:2\u2019D 4@249] \u201cw6\u2019D E96 ?6IE DE2C] s:G:D:@? x q2D632== D2:5 v2G:? z6==J \ud83d\ude00 E96 ?6IE qFDE6C !@D6J W7@C>6C $2? uC2?4:D4@ 2==\\DE2C 42E496CX] w6\u2019D DA64:2=]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw:D A6C7@C>2?46 92D 366? D@ 8@@5 2E =62DE @?6 >2;@C 4@==686 32D632== 4@249 92D AC@4=2:>65 E92E C:89E ?@H 96 \ud83d\ude00 E96 =625:?8 42?5:52E6 E@ 36 E96 }@] ` D6=64E:@? \ud83d\ude15 E96 a_af >2;@C =628F6 5C27E]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm!6C92AD H92E \ud83d\ude00 >@DE :>AC6DD:G6 23@FE :E \ud83d\ude00 E92E 96 92D =6E ?@?6 @7 :E 8@ E@ 9:D 9625[ ?@E:?8 E92E 96 92D >F49 C@@> 7@C :>AC@G6>6?E]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201cu@C DFC6[ E96C6\u2019D 2=H2JD DEF77 x 42? H@C< @?[\u201d 96 D2:5 H96? 2D<65 23@FE :E] \u201ctG6CJ 52J x\u2019> ECJ:?8 E@ :>AC@G6[ H96E96C E92E\u2019D 5676?D:G6=J @C \ud83d\ude15 E96 32EE6C\u2019D 3@I] x\u2019> ?6G6C D2E:D7:65 H:E9 E96 C6DF=ED x 86E] x H2?E E@ 36 E96 36DE A=2J6C x 42? 36]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw:D :>AC@G6>6?E 92D 366? 2 8:2?E DEC:56 7@CH2C5 D:?46 96 42>6 @FE @7 !:EED3FC89\u2019D r6?EC2= r2E9@=:4 w:89 E@ ;@:? E96 |@F?E2:?66CD 2?5 :E 4@>6D ?@E ;FDE H:E9 >2EFC2E:@?[ 3FE 92C5 H@C< @G6C =@?8 9@FCD]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201cx H@F=5 D2J x F?56CDE2?5 E96 82>6 36EE6C 2D 2 H9@=6[\u201d z6==J D2:5] \u201cx F?56CDE2?5 >J DH:?8 2?5 H92E E96 A:E496CD 2C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 5@ E@ 86E >6 @FE]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n
kAm|2?J D2J E92E 9:EE:?8 \ud83d\ude00 ?2EFC2=[ 3FE E92E \ud83d\ude00 2?JE9:?8 3FE E96 ECFE9 H:E9 @?=J 2 A2CE @7 :E 36:?8 \u201cD66 E96 32==[ 9:E E96 32==]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201cx E9:?< 96 9@=5D E96 4@?7:56?46 2?5 >6?E2= 6586 @G6C 2 =2C86 >2;@C:EJ @7 9:EE6CD[\u201d $23:?D 92D D2:5] \u201c(96? J@F 2C6 @?6 @7 E96 36DE @? @FC E62>j @?6 @7 E96 36DE \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@?76C6?46j @?6 @7 E96 36DE \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@F?ECJ[ H96? J@F 72:= >@C6 E92? 92=7 E96 E:>6 :E E2<6D 7@CE:EF56 E@ 36 2 8@@5 9:EE6C 2?5 x E9:?< 7C@> 2 G6CJ J@F?8 286 96 92D F?56CDE@@5 2?5 C62==J 92?5=6 E96 >6?E2= 82>6]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201cw6 2=D@ =@G6D E@ 9:E] w6 G:6HD 9:>D6=7 2D 2 9:EE6C] w6 F?56CDE2?5D 9:D DH:?8] w6 AC6A2C6D E@ 9:E 2?5 5@6D?\u2019E @G6C4@249 9:D DH:?8] x7 E9:?8D 2C6?\u2019E 8@:?8 H6==] x 5@?\u2019E E9:?< 96 6G6C H@CD6=7 :?E@ 2 9@=6] %92E\u2019D D@>6E9:?8 2 =@E @7 9:EE6CD 5@[ 3FE 72:=FC6 \ud83d\ude00 2 ?2EFC2= E9:?8 \ud83d\ude15 9:EE:?8]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201cp =@E @7 A=2J6CD 2E @FC =6G6= H:== H@C< F?E:= E96J\u2019C6 325 2?5 96\u2019D C62==J =62C?65 9@H E@ H@C< H:E9 2? :?E6?E 2?5 7@4FD @? E9:?8D 96 ?665D 2?5 EFC?D E96 A286[\u201d $23:?D 4@?E:?F65] \u201cw6\u2019D 23=6 E@ E2<6 2 325 32EE:?8 AC24E:46 2?5 92G6 2 8C62E 82>6] w6 42? 92G6 2 8C62E 82>6 2?5 E96? 8@ 92G6 2 4@?46?EC2E65 9:EE:?8 D6DD:@?] w6 5@6D?\u2019E ?665 72:=FC6 E@ >@E:G2E6 9:>]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n
kAmz6==J DEC6DD6D E96 >6?E2= D:56 @7 9:EE:?8 E@ 8@ H:E9 E96 ?2EFC2= D<:==D J@F 3C:?8 :?E@ E96 32EE6C\u2019D 3@I H:E9 J@F]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201c%96C6\u2019D D@>6 ECFE9 E@ 3@E9[\u201d 96 D2:5] \u201c*@F 92G6 E@ F?56CDE2?5 H92E E96 A:E496CD 92G6 2?5 9@H E96J 2C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 86E J@F @FE] p7E6C E92E\u2019D :E\u2019D ;FDE ECFDE:?8 >J 6J6D 2?5 FD:?8 E96 2AAC@249 @FC 4@2496D 92G6 =2:5 @FE 7@C FD]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MORGANTOWN \u2014 Generally speaking, with a team like West Virginia the spotlight shines most brightly on the No.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":709498,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2288],"tags":[2315,2229,2309,2336,4407,10619,5,2460,2316,2465,2323,3313,2314,2317,2313,2340,2423,2430,2325,2447,5418,2451,6595,3518,2413,7761,648,18357,4082,1828,2425,2330,2333,2422,2335,89042,7674,2334,19,2310,2328,2304,2318,2308,2319,4,2305,2303,8008,8010,54407,7534,2307,2320,36516,776,2343,2326,5332,66,2327,2321,12874,1750,185,2339,2324,2420,19616,2560,2338,2311,1804,2448,89043,2312,1568,8009,5076,9444,1039],"class_list":["post-709497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb-postseason","tag-athletic-sports","tag-ball","tag-ball-and-bat-games","tag-ball-games","tag-ballpark","tag-balls","tag-baseball","tag-baseball-bats","tag-baseball-competitions","tag-baseball-equipment","tag-baseball-events","tag-baseball-field","tag-baseball-finals","tag-baseball-games","tag-baseball-playoffs-and-champions","tag-baseball-positions","tag-baseball-rules","tag-baseball-statistics","tag-baseball-teams","tag-batting-baseball","tag-batting-average-baseball","tag-batting-statistics","tag-buster-posey","tag-catcher","tag-champion-seasons-in-major-league-baseball","tag-coach-baseball","tag-college-baseball","tag-confidence","tag-earned-run-average","tag-failure","tag-games-of-physical-skill","tag-glossary-of-baseball-terms","tag-grass-field-surfaces","tag-hit-baseball","tag-home-run","tag-kendrick-family-ballpark","tag-kentucky","tag-lawn-games","tag-major-league-baseball","tag-major-league-baseball-competitions","tag-major-league-baseball-playoffs","tag-major-league-baseball-postseason","tag-major-league-baseball-seasons","tag-major-league-baseball-teams","tag-major-league-baseball-teams-seasons","tag-mlb","tag-mlb-playoffs","tag-mlb-postseason","tag-morgantown","tag-mountaineering","tag-ncaa-division-i-men","tag-on-base-plus-slugging","tag-outdoor-sports","tag-pitcher","tag-pitching-baseball","tag-pittsburgh","tag-positions-team-sports","tag-run-baseball","tag-run-batted-in","tag-san-francisco-giants","tag-seasons-in-american-sport","tag-seasons-in-baseball","tag-second-baseman","tag-slugging-percentage","tag-sports","tag-sports-competitions","tag-sports-events","tag-sports-rules-and-regulations","tag-steve-sabins","tag-stolen-base","tag-team-activities","tag-team-sports","tag-ted-williams","tag-throwing","tag-truth","tag-turf-sports","tag-virginia","tag-west-virginia","tag-west-virginia-mountaineers","tag-west-virginia-university","tag-world-series"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/709497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=709497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/709497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/709498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=709497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=709497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=709497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}