Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Manoah Repeats as Big 12 Pitcher of the Week
April 15, 2019 04:23 PM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For the second consecutive week, West Virginia University junior right-handed starter Alek Manoah has been named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.
In a complete-game shutout against No. 11 Texas Tech on April 12, Manoah struck out a career-high 15 batters and held the Big 12's highest-scoring offense to four hits with no walks in WVU's 2-0, series-opening victory.
Manoah also repeats as the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week and is nominated for the Golden Spikes Award/D1Baseball.com Performance of the Week, a week after he won the award. One of four nominees, fans can vote for Manoah at @USAGoldenSpikes on Twitter. Manoah also was named one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of The Week on Monday.
In Friday night's win, Manoah did not allow a baserunner until the fourth inning and allowed a runner to reach second base just once, on a leadoff double in the eighth that was followed by three consecutive strikeouts. Manoah had three strikeouts in the third and eighth innings and had two punchouts in an inning three times, while he retired the side in order five times.
Manoah's 15 strikeouts were the most by a Mountaineer since David Maust had 15 against Cleveland State on March 11, 2001, while the complete game was the first of Manoah's career and the first by a WVU starter since BJ Myers went the full 9.0 innings on April 7, 2017, against Kansas.
His 9.0 innings pitched, 15 strikeouts, five strikeouts looking and no walks all led the Big 12 last week. Manoah, who lowered his ERA to 2.08 on the season and 1.99 in Big 12 play, has not allowed a run in his last 22.2 innings pitched. The Miami native improved to 5-2 and earned his seventh quality start in nine starts this year.
The performance helped WVU to a series victory over No. 11 TTU, its third consecutive series win over a top-25 team. The Mountaineers, who enter the national rankings at No. 20 this week, have won eight of their last 10 games.
This week's accolades come a week after Manoah was named the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week and the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week and earned the Golden Spikes Award/D1Baseball.com Performance of the Week award. In a series-opening victory at No. 23 Oklahoma State on April 5, Manoah struck out 11 batters in 8.0 shutout innings.
Up next, the Mountaineers travel to Penn State before a weekend series against Kansas from April 19-21. WVU and PSU meet on Wednesday, April 17, at 6:30 p.m. ET, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College, Pennsylvania. West Virginia then continues Big 12 play against Kansas at Monongalia County Ballpark, beginning on Friday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m. The series continues on Saturday, at 4 p.m., before the finale on Sunday, at 1 p.m. Tickets for the Big 12 series are available at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU GAME, at the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum or on game day at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Single game tickets and flex plan mini-packages for the 2019 season are on sale now. Fans can join the excitement of WVU baseball and support the Mountaineers by purchasing tickets at WVUGAME.com, calling 1-800-WVU GAME or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
In a complete-game shutout against No. 11 Texas Tech on April 12, Manoah struck out a career-high 15 batters and held the Big 12's highest-scoring offense to four hits with no walks in WVU's 2-0, series-opening victory.
Manoah also repeats as the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week and is nominated for the Golden Spikes Award/D1Baseball.com Performance of the Week, a week after he won the award. One of four nominees, fans can vote for Manoah at @USAGoldenSpikes on Twitter. Manoah also was named one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of The Week on Monday.
In Friday night's win, Manoah did not allow a baserunner until the fourth inning and allowed a runner to reach second base just once, on a leadoff double in the eighth that was followed by three consecutive strikeouts. Manoah had three strikeouts in the third and eighth innings and had two punchouts in an inning three times, while he retired the side in order five times.
Manoah's 15 strikeouts were the most by a Mountaineer since David Maust had 15 against Cleveland State on March 11, 2001, while the complete game was the first of Manoah's career and the first by a WVU starter since BJ Myers went the full 9.0 innings on April 7, 2017, against Kansas.
His 9.0 innings pitched, 15 strikeouts, five strikeouts looking and no walks all led the Big 12 last week. Manoah, who lowered his ERA to 2.08 on the season and 1.99 in Big 12 play, has not allowed a run in his last 22.2 innings pitched. The Miami native improved to 5-2 and earned his seventh quality start in nine starts this year.
The performance helped WVU to a series victory over No. 11 TTU, its third consecutive series win over a top-25 team. The Mountaineers, who enter the national rankings at No. 20 this week, have won eight of their last 10 games.
This week's accolades come a week after Manoah was named the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week and the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week and earned the Golden Spikes Award/D1Baseball.com Performance of the Week award. In a series-opening victory at No. 23 Oklahoma State on April 5, Manoah struck out 11 batters in 8.0 shutout innings.
Up next, the Mountaineers travel to Penn State before a weekend series against Kansas from April 19-21. WVU and PSU meet on Wednesday, April 17, at 6:30 p.m. ET, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College, Pennsylvania. West Virginia then continues Big 12 play against Kansas at Monongalia County Ballpark, beginning on Friday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m. The series continues on Saturday, at 4 p.m., before the finale on Sunday, at 1 p.m. Tickets for the Big 12 series are available at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU GAME, at the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum or on game day at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Single game tickets and flex plan mini-packages for the 2019 season are on sale now. Fans can join the excitement of WVU baseball and support the Mountaineers by purchasing tickets at WVUGAME.com, calling 1-800-WVU GAME or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
RHP/1B
/ Baseball
Steve Sabins | Feb. 16
Monday, February 16
Matthew Graveline | Feb. 16
Monday, February 16
Reese Bassinger | Feb. 9
Monday, February 09
Brodie Kresser | Feb. 9
Monday, February 09
