West Virginia’s dream of making its first-ever College World Series will have to wait yet another year.
For the second straight season, the Mountaineers were swept out of the NCAA Super Regional round, losing both games on the road—this time to powerhouse LSU. After falling 16-9 on Saturday, WVU couldn’t recover and dropped Sunday’s elimination game 12-5 in Baton Rouge.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our guys,” said WVU head coach Steve Sabins. “We never focus on the other teams. We just play our game.”
West Virginia (44-16) kept things interesting through six innings on Sunday, even bringing the tying run to the plate, but LSU (48-15) proved to be too much. With relentless offense, elite pitching, and tighter defense, the Tigers advanced to their 20th College World Series appearance.
Like Saturday’s opener, one big inning changed the game early. After WVU starter Jack Kartsonas quickly retired the first two batters of the second inning, things spiraled. Three straight walks loaded the bases, and LSU’s Steven Milam smashed a three-run double down the right field line. A single, a wild pitch, and a misplayed pop-up later, and LSU led 6-0.
Still, WVU fought back. Sam White drilled a solo homer, Ben Lumsden followed with a rare blast—just his second of the year—and White added an RBI single. The Mountaineers cut the lead to 6-4 and knocked LSU starter Anthony Eyanson from the game.
“My job is just to pass it to the next guy,” White said. “We’ve got great hitters up and down the lineup.”
But defensive mistakes haunted the Mountaineers once again. Another dropped pop-up triggered a disastrous seventh inning where LSU scored six runs, taking full advantage of three WVU errors. Milam added another RBI single, and Jake Brown smashed a two-run homer off the batter’s eye to bury WVU’s hopes for good.
Across the two-game series, WVU pitchers issued 17 walks, hit eight batters, and the defense committed four errors—far too many gifts against an LSU team that didn’t need any.
“When you give great teams free passes, they cash in,” Sabins said. “Our pitchers were under pressure constantly. That’s not a winning formula.”
Despite the heartbreak, Sabins’ first year at the helm was historic. WVU broke its all-time wins record, captured the school’s first-ever outright Big 12 title in any sport, and made back-to-back super regional appearances for the first time.
“We set milestones that had never been achieved before,” Sabins said. “That’s something we’re proud of.”
But as the final out was recorded, the emotion of the moment wasn’t just about losing. It was about saying goodbye to a special group of players who had come so far together.
“I’m not sad about the result,” Sabins added. “I’m sad that this incredible group won’t ever be together again.”
While WVU didn’t reach Omaha this time, teams like this are laying the foundation for that future moment. The climb continues in 2026, with hope, experience, and a little more hunger.
