West Virginia Baseball head coach Randy Mazey spoke to the media following the Mountaineers selection to play in an NCAA regional. Mazey’s squad was selected as a three seed following an 0-2 showing in the Big 12 tournament.
The team will travel to Tucson, Arizona to play on a field the Mountaineers had a series at last season against Arizona. Mazey was asked if playing well there last season could have any impact on the regional outcome for his team.
“I think a lot. We played great out there. A lot to be said about playing on a field you have confidence in.” Mazey added to that, pointing out JJ Wetherholt really hitting the ball well there last season.
Wetherholt is coming off of a 1-5 game in the Big 12 tournament but Mazey said with how hard JJ hit the ball in that game, he would have been 4-5 with four home runs on the field they are going to be playing on.
Some fans were surprised to see the Mountaineers fall down to a three seed rather than the two seed they were projected to be at. For a team that had hopes of hosting a regional coming into the season, falling to the three spot could be considered a failure, but Mazey thinks it could ultimately help add a chip to his team’s shoulder.
“Us being a two seed rather than a three seed stings a little bit based on what we’ve done. There are some reasons that we will be very motivated out there.”
The Mountaineers were short handed on the pitching depth during their time in Arlington this season. However, the pitching is as rested as it’s ever been for Mazey this season and he is ready to put it all together.
“Our top two guys are pitching as good as they have all season.” Mazey also added, “I will go into this regional way more confident than any other regional I’ve been a part of.”
West Virginia will take on the two-seed in Tucson, Dallas Baptist University. The Patriots finished with an incredible 44-17 record and a 5-1 record against Big 12 teams, including a pair of two-game sweeps against the top two teams in conference, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
Randy Mazey knows the first game will be a challenge, “You’re expected to beat them because the average fan doesn’t know much about them, but they are really really good.”
Arizona will host the regional as the one seed and the four seed is Grand Canyon University. Although the biggest pitching threat in the entire regional probably resides with DBU.
Ryan Johnson is a projected first-round draft pick in the upcoming MLB draft and has put together one of the best seasons of any pitcher this year. He finished with an 11-2 record and has a 1.98 ERA. He also has one of the highest strikes-thrown percentages in the nation.
Mazey knows that Johnson will be the team’s major hurdle in the first game of the regional but is excited to see how his team plays.
“This is why you come to West Virginia. To watch selection shows and play in regionals. If you can’t enjoy this moment, then you shouldn’t be playing baseball. The thing our guys know, no matter how they perform, I am going to love them all the same. That gives them the freedom to not put any pressure on themselves and just go out and play baseball.
Mazey also added, “This is something they will remember for the rest of their lives so might as well enjoy it and make the best of it.”
The first game for the Mountaineers is against DBU on Friday, May 31, and first-pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. ET. The Mountaineers will await their next opponent after that game. If WVU wins the game, they will play the winner of the Arizona and Grand Canyon, if they lose, they will play the loser.
The second round will take place on Saturday, June 1, with the time TBD.
