Utility player Armani Guzman leads West Virginia into 2nd straight NCAA super regional

When West Virginia hit its lowest point of the season, utility player Armani Guzman was just getting started.

A blowout loss to Arizona in the Big 12 tournament semifinals sent regular-season champion West Virginia to its ninth loss in 13 games — a momentum-killing stretch at the worst possible time heading into the NCAA tournament.

Nearly forgotten from that game was a pair of late singles by Guzman in a pinch-hitting role. First-year coach Steve Sabins noticed, promoting the sophomore to a starting spot in the regional.

It was the spark the Mountaineers sorely needed.

Batting last in the lineup, Guzman went 8 for 12 with six RBIs in three games and was named regional MVP. The Mountaineers (44-14) beat host Clemson once and Kentucky twice to advance to their second straight super regional starting Saturday at No. 6 national seed LSU (46-15).

"I bet there's never been a nine-hole hitter been a tournament MVP," Sabins said. ''What he did was epic."

Guzman had shown a flash of stardom earlier this season. In an April 1 game at Ohio State, he reached over the right-field wall to take away a home run, then threw out a runner at first base for a double play. He is West Virginia's third-best hitter with a .337 average and leads the Mountaineers with 16 stolen bases.

But from April 11 to May 22, Guzman was used sparingly as a defensive replacement and went just 1 for 8 at the plate.

Guzman stayed patient until his turn came up again.

''His mentality has been so spot on,'' Sabins said. ''You want to talk about a confident guy that's not arrogant. He is in such a strong place competing right now that he knows he'll have success.''

Making his first start in nearly a month, Guzman hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth inning of a 4-3 win over Kentucky in the regional opener. In the clinching 13-12 win over the Wildcats on Sunday, the Mountaineers overcame deficits of 6-1 and 12-7. Guzman went 4 for 5 and his single in the eighth inning drove in the go-ahead run.

''I was a guy who didn't play the last month and a half, and I'm here in this position," he said. ''I think it's a big confidence boost to each guy. The confidence that we have in each other is huge.''

Being used on defense in the outfield and at third base while often being inserted as a pinch hitter during the season, ''I just try to be an athlete," Guzman said. "Sabs talks about it all the time. His job is to place us where he thinks we best fit. My job is to play the game. So that's all I do.''

Clutch all around

As good as Guzman played, West Virginia needed all the gutsy individual performances it could get in the regional.

''That's just the type of group we are,'' said catcher Logan Sauve, who went 5 for 15 in the series. ''We all stuck for each other and played for each other and wished for the kid behind us to do better than what we just did.''

Griffin Kirn threw 117 pitches over seven innings in the opener, then returned two days later to pitch the ninth inning in relief and earn the save in the clinching win.

Utility player Ben Lumsden, a starter a year ago who managed just four hits previously this season, started in place of veteran Grant Hussey at first base and had a breakout series in his home state with three hits and five RBIs.

Lumsden and Guzman ''bought into the fact that regardless of results, the only path forward is to work,'' Sabins said.

Getting refocused

As a rookie head coach, Sabins, who took over for the retired Randy Mazey, saw new experiences throughout the season.

West Virginia opened with 13 straight wins, captured its first outright Big 12 regular-season championship and set a school record for wins.

But the final month of the season, when the losses were piling up, was mystifying. So team and individual meetings were held. Videos were reviewed. Highlight films were emphasized.

''We threw things into a fire and started over,'' Sabins said.

He even tried to figure out different ways to conduct practices.

"You try to keep it light and intense at the same time, and you try to push the right buttons every step of the way,'' Sabins said.

Road confidence

West Virginia's 24-5 road record is the best among teams in the super regionals.

At Clemson, the visitors' bullpen is pinned in the left-field corner just a feet away from fans, and West Virginia's pitchers heard relentless banter from the stands.

''I was thankful we played at Clemson because I thought that environment at Clemson was loud and pretty raucous,'' Sabins said. "You had those kids in the bullpen that were like touching our guys warming up. So I think our guys will be prepared in that avenue.

''Our team will go into anybody that we play for the remainder of the season believing that we can win the game if we play good baseball.''

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