MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The road to the College World Series has arrived in West Virginia. The NCAA calls it a regional tournament.Around here, they call it a dream come true.For the first time since 2019, the road to Omaha runs directly through Morgantown, and the excitement surrounding the NCAA Baseball Regional at Kendrick Family Ballpark is unlike anything this city has seen in years. Read more: Morgantown is buzzing as the ‘Road to Omaha’ runs through West Virginia.
Tickets? Gone.
Sold out in less than three hours.
Standing-room-only passes released Thursday? Gone in under 30 minutes.
Hotels within 50 miles? Forget it. Good luck finding a room.
Related: All signs point to busy weekend: soaring hotel rates, sellout game
The entire region has been transformed into one giant Mountaineer baseball celebration. It’s like Christmas morning, the Fourth of July, and a backyard tailgate all rolled into one.
And the best part? The tournament hasn’t even really started yet.
Talk about atmosphere
The visiting teams—Kentucky, Wake Forest, and Binghamton—may have thought they were traveling to a quiet college town tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains.
Think again.
Welcome to the LSU of the Big 12. Welcome to a baseball-crazed fan base that has waited years for this moment.
By mid-afternoon Friday, with Kentucky and Wake Forest battling in the opening game, the ballpark was already buzzing. Fans packed every available seat. Parking lots overflowed. Restaurants were packed.
Every conversation in town centered on one thing: Can these Mountaineers make it to Omaha?
Just wait until first pitch for West Virginia.
The scheduled 5 p.m. showdown against Binghamton was expected to turn Kendrick Family Ballpark into a pressure cooker.
The Mountaineer faithful were ready. And thirsty.
As one fan joked, “When happy hour hits, this place is going to register on the Richter scale.”
For many visitors, the experience has been eye-opening.
Ralph Lawrence, whose son Luke plays second base for Kentucky, drove from Chicago with his family and arrived in the early morning darkness.
“We got in around 2 a.m.,” Lawrence said. “The fog was so thick we couldn’t see anything. Then we woke up this morning and saw the mountains, the sunshine, and how beautiful this area is. We were stunned. We might need to come back here for a vacation.”
That’s a story being repeated all over town.
Visitors came for baseball. They discovered West Virginia.
A proud namesake
One of the people smiling the widest this weekend is Rick Wagener.
If there is a Mount Rushmore of WVU Baseball supporters, Wagener belongs on it.
The former New York Mets player and major benefactor to the program has spent decades helping elevate Mountaineer baseball. In fact, Wagener Field bears his name, permanently etched into the heart of Kendrick Family Ballpark.
“This is what we’ve worked toward for years,” Wagener said. “Just wait until the West Virginia game starts. It’s going to explode in here.”
Wagener knows a little something about history. He became the first freshman ever to play baseball at WVU before advancing to the Major Leagues with the Mets from 1969 through 1973.
More importantly, he met his wife Julianna in Morgantown more than 50 years ago and never left the Mountaineer family behind.
“We’ve always supported WVU Baseball and all WVU sports,” Wagener said. “This regional is another step in the growth of baseball in West Virginia. It gives our fans a chance to watch some of the best players in the country right here at home.”
That’s certainly true.
Kentucky has stars. Wake Forest has stars. Major League scouts are everywhere.
But if you ask the thousands of Mountaineer fans pouring through the gates this weekend, the best players in America are already here.
They’re wearing gold and blue.
And for one glorious weekend, the center of the college baseball universe isn’t Omaha.
It’s Morgantown.
Tune in
Tune in to 100.9 FM The Torch or any of the affiliate stations along the John Fredericks Media Network for special pregame coverage, followed by exclusive Mountaineer baseball play-by-play action.
Pregame coverage from right across the street hits the airwaves at 3 p.m., followed by flagship game coverage. First pitch is set for 5 p.m., barring any delays.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation for more WVU Athletics coverage.
