While the Gold-Blue Spring Showcase grabbed most of the attention around Morgantown this weekend, the truth is pretty simple – the team that deserves the spotlight right now isn’t playing inside Milan Puskar Stadium.
It’s happening down at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark. Read more: WVU Baseball is building a true contender.
West Virginia baseball has quietly put together one of the most impressive seasons in the country. Sitting at No. 15 in the D1Baseball Top 25, the Mountaineers are 28-11 overall and 11-6 in Big 12 play. More importantly, they’re not just winning – they’re positioning themselves to host.
Right now, WVU is trending toward a potential No. 1 seed in the Morgantown Regional of the NCAA Tournament. With about a month left in the regular season, everything in front of this team is still on the table. The stretch run will define it, including a pivotal three-game series against conference leader Kansas from May 8-10 before the Big 12 Tournament begins May 19.
Handle business, stay inside that top-16 national picture, and Morgantown gets postseason baseball.
A league of their own
We spend so much time this time of year talking about football. Quarterbacks, depth charts, spring overreactions – it’s all part of the cycle. But while that conversation is happening, this baseball team is stacking real results against real competition.
And they’re doing it with balance.
Start on the mound. Most NCAA Tournament teams are lucky to have one reliable arm they can lean on in a big moment. Coach Steve Sabins has multiple options – and that changes everything in a regional format.
Maxx Yehl, Dawson Montesa, and Chansen Cole have given this team a steady, dependable rotation that can go deep into games. That alone puts pressure on opposing lineups. Then you factor in Ian Korn and Reese Bassinger, who gives them flexibility as a multi-inning option, and suddenly this isn’t just a solid staff – it’s a strategic advantage.
If the rotation holds, WVU could realistically line up its best arms exactly how it wants in a regional setting. That’s how you win in June.
Offensively, this group doesn’t overwhelm you with flash, but they wear you down – and that might be even more dangerous.
From top to bottom, there aren’t many easy outs in this lineup – and Saturday was just another example of what we’ve seen all season. Matt Ineich, Gavin Kelly, Paul Schoenfeld, and Sean Smith set the tone, but it’s the depth that makes this group dangerous. Junior Armani Guzman did a little bit of everything with two hits, two runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases. Schoenfeld added three steals of his own and crossed the plate twice. Matthew Graveline chipped in with two RBI, and Brodie Kresser matched him with two more.
Related: Mountaineers explode for seven runs, take game two from Cougars
Winning culture
That’s not a one-off performance – that’s the identity of this offense. They pressure you, they run, they extend innings, and they force mistakes. And when you do that from one through nine, it becomes really hard to get off the field.
They may not lead the country in highlight-reel home runs, but they do something just as valuable – they make pitchers work for every single out.
That style travels. And it wins in tournament play.
The bigger picture here is this: WVU Baseball isn’t just having a good season. It’s turning into what we’ve all been waiting for from football and men’s basketball – a real national title contender.
