The best way to describe the past week for No. 23 WVU Baseball (8-2) is turbulent. A canceled series, a makeup game that eventually ended up canned, and the dismissal of Chase Meyer.
None of that matters when the Mountaineers take to the diamond on March 6-8. They welcome the Columbia Lions (1-5) within the confines of Kendrick Family Ballpark for a three-game series. Read more: Series preview: WVU Baseball aims for calmer waters against Columbia.Â
According to WVU records, the series is set to mark the first all-time meeting between the Mountaineers and Lions.
Both teams come into the weekend reeling from a loss in their most recent respective outings. As long as Mother Nature steers clear, baseball should be on the way back to Morgantown for the first time since the home opener.
Where the Mountaineers stand
WVU comes into the matchup with something to prove. Whether it be turmoil behind closed doors, a loss to a Conference USA squad, or recent unfavorable weather, one can presume they are chomping at the bit.
Related: Chase Meyer dismissed from WVU Baseball following locker room incident
The Mountaineers stand at 8-2, with both losses coming in the series finales of the Liberty and Kennesaw State sets. Bats are hot, with WVU outscoring opponents, 92-37, through 10 games.
More insight to the team’s on-field expectations can be found in the series preview of the canceled pair of Radford games, linked HERE. Most, if not all, claims remain the same, considering WVU has not played since the time of publication.
The focus shifts to Columbia.
About the opponent
Founded in 1868, Columbia University Baseball has quite the past. After all, a player by the name of Lou Gehrig donned the jersey from 1921-1923.
The Ivy League program is coming off its seventh conference tournament championship and eighth NCAA tournament appearance in 2025. Under the direction of Brett Boretti, now in his 21st season at Columbia’s helm, the Lions are a respected program.
Columbia makes the trip from New York City, home of the Lions, 397 miles southwest to Morgantown for the weekend.
The early outings on the 2026 campaign have not favored Columbia, outside of one game. After being swept by Mercer to start the season 0-3, CU traveled to Manhattan, Kansas, beating K-State in a 9-8 shootout.
Columbia dropped the other two games against the Wildcats, but the Lions held their own in a Big 12 environment. They only lost 2-1 in game two, before losing 5-2 in the finale.
The catalyst for Columbia is primary catcher Owen Estabrook. When he is not busy behind the plate, he leads the offense with a .389 batting average through six games. The 6’1 junior also fronts the Lions in home runs (3) and RBI (9).
Expect pitcher Alex Sotiropoulos to take the mound as the ace on Friday. He started in the win against Kansas State. Sotiropoulos likely duels it out with WVU’s Dawson Montesa in the opener.
Tune in
All three games are streaming on ESPN+ through the weekend. Scheduled first pitch times at Kendrick Family Ballpark in Morgantown are listed below:
- Friday, March 6: 2 p.m.
- Saturday, March 7: 2 p.m.
- Sunday, March 8: 1 p.m.
As always, game times are subject to change.
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