If West Virginia had a motto this weekend, it would be: “It’s not over until it’s over.”
After dramatic wins on both Friday and Saturday, the Mountaineers saved their most thrilling comeback for Sunday. Down by five runs—twice—against Kentucky, WVU exploded for six runs in the top of the ninth inning to steal a 13-12 victory and punch their ticket to the NCAA Super Regionals for the second straight year.
The Mountaineers never stopped believing. On Friday, they walked off with a win. On Saturday, they scored four runs in the eighth to take down Clemson. And on Sunday, they stunned everyone with a late offensive surge that swept them through the Clemson Regional.
Ninth-Inning Heroics
With two outs in the ninth and their season hanging by a thread, West Virginia’s bats came alive. A bases-loaded walk brought in one run, followed by a two-run single from Gavin Kelly, another two-run single from Ben Lumsden, and the go-ahead RBI single from Armani Guzman.
It was a relentless sequence that left Kentucky reeling.
In the bottom of the ninth, WVU pitcher Griffin Kirn—who had already thrown 118 pitches on Friday—came back out and calmly shut the door. After allowing a one-out single, he retired the final two batters to secure the win.
A Wild Game From the Start
The game had all the makings of a postseason classic.
WVU starter Robby Porco struggled from the beginning, needing 21 pitches just to escape the first inning. In the second, he walked three straight batters before being pulled.
Reliever Reese Bassinger, pitching for the third day in a row, couldn’t stop the bleeding. Kentucky capitalized with back-to-back RBI singles, including a two-run hit from Cole Hage, to take an early 4-1 lead.
Meanwhile, Kentucky starter Scott Rouse was dealing. He retired WVU hitters with ease through the first three innings, allowing just one run. By the fourth, Kentucky had built a 6-1 advantage.
Mountaineers Fight Back
But the Mountaineers weren’t going down quietly. In the bottom of the fourth, they erupted. After loading the bases with one out, West Virginia sent nine batters to the plate and scored six runs without recording another out. Suddenly, they led 7-6.
Kentucky responded immediately, scoring two more in the fifth to regain control. They added another run in the sixth and a solo homer in the eighth, stretching the lead to 12-7.
Still, WVU kept pushing. In the sixth, they loaded the bases again, and pinch-hitter Grant Hussey nearly tied the game with a deep drive to left. But Kentucky’s Cole Hage made a spectacular catch at the wall, robbing what might have been a game-changing grand slam.
Finish Line in Sight
Kentucky’s bullpen couldn’t close the door in the ninth. West Virginia’s lineup kept the pressure on and didn’t miss their second chance. Once they had the lead, they handed the ball back to their reliable workhorse, Kirn, who finished what he started earlier in the weekend.
The win marked a clean sweep of the Clemson Regional and sent the Mountaineers surging into the NCAA Super Regionals for the second year in a row.
This weekend, West Virginia proved they’re never out of the fight. With their eyes on Omaha, they’re heading into the next round with momentum and belief.
