WVU (21-6, 8-3 Big 12) won dramatically to beat No. 23 UCF, 11-10, in Morgantown in the second game of the series. No. 13 WVU won on a walk-off single from Matthew Graveline to force a rubber match for the series between two ranked Big 12 teams. The Mountaineers overcame a 10-2 deficit after the top of the sixth inning to score nine unanswered runs. The final game of the series takes place in Morgantown tomorrow, Sunday, April 5, at noon. Read more: WVU overcomes a 10-2 deficit to win on a walk-off over UCF.
Early innings
Maxx Yehl started on the bump for WVU and pitched well through the first three innings. He allowed a single to the first batter he faced in the game, but struck out the next. He got a groundball from John Smith III, which turned into a double play to end the inning.
Mateo Gray got the nod for the Knights, but struggled to start the game. Armani Guzman singled to lead off the inning and stole second to put himself in scoring position. Sean Smith reached on a fielding error with two out, which allowed Guzman to score from second. WVU took a 1-0 lead into the second inning.
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Yehl forced two groundballs and struck out Landon Moran looking on a full count for a quick second inning. Zahir Barjam opened the inning with a double to left field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Brock Wills. WVU could not take advantage of the runner on third with one out and did not score in the inning.
Yehl gave up another single to start the third inning, but struck out two batters before getting out of the inning. Gray also struck out two WVU batters in the bottom of the third inning, as WVU took a 1-0 lead into the fourth inning.
Middle innings
Yehl’s solid outing took a turn for the worse in the fourth inning. Andrew Williamson led off with a double, and Smith drove him in with a double of his own. Zak Skinner moved Smith to third with a single, setting up another run. Smith scored from third on a fielder’s choice, which also advanced Skinner to second. Moran drove in the runner from second base with a single, giving UCF a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.
WVU got one run immediately off the bat of Smith. He belted a 435-foot home run to deep left field for his fifth home run of the season to make it 3-2. The Mountaineers could not find another base runner in the inning as Gray continued to get outs.
Yehl’s night came to an end in the top of the fifth inning. He hit a batter with the first pitch of the inning, gave up a single, and walked Williamson on four pitches to load the bases. He was replaced by Reese Bassinger, who did not get out of the jam. Smith singled to left field, which scored two runs. Moran singled with two outs in the inning to drive in the third run of the inning, which made it 6-2 in favor of UCF.
Gray gave up a single to Brodie Kresser to start the bottom of the fifth inning, but got a double play ball for two outs. He got another ground ball, which ended the fifth inning.
Sixth inning scoring
Both teams got the bats going in the sixth inning. Mac Stiffler replaced Bassinger to start the inning, but he did not fare any better against the Knights’ hot bats. He gave up a single to Jordan Lodise and committed a fielding error as Austin Jacobs laid down a sacrifice bunt. Cayden Gaskin singled to load the bases to put Stiffler in a jam. Lodise scored on a wild pitch, scoring the first run of the inning for the Knights.
Smith singled to score another run and was the last batter Stiffler faced. Bryson Thacker replaced him with runners on first and third. He allowed a single to Skinner, which made it 9-2. DeAmez Ross singled with two outs and drove in the fourth run of the inning to give the Knights a 10-2 lead.
Ineich leaves the yard! pic.twitter.com/xkzo1daSA2
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) April 4, 2026
WVU bounced back and scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Gavin Kelly singled to lead off, and then Gray struck out two batters. Matt Ineich came up with a runner on first and two outs. He hit a home run, his third of the season, to left field to give the Mountaineers four runs in the game.
Late innings
JT Huether replaced Thacker at the top of the seventh and got out unscathed despite loading the bases. He walked two batters and hit another, all with two outs, and got the final out to get out of the jam. Gray continued into the seventh inning for the Knights, but it was his last.
Ben Lumsden led off the inning, pinch-hitting for Wills, and drew a walk. Matthew Robaugh pinch-hit for Tyrus Hall and hit a one-out single. That forced a pitching change from UCF, as they brought in Matthew Heyl. Heyl gave up a single to the first batter he faced, Guzman, which put a run on the board. Evan Jones replaced him after facing one batter. Jones gave up a double to Kelly, which scored both runners. It made the score 10-7 after seven innings.
Setting the stage
Neither team scored a run in the eighth inning, but it set the stage for the final inning. Carson Estridge replaced Huether and got the final two outs to end the Knights’ threatening opportunity. Matthew Gaveline pinch-hit for Kresser in the bottom of the inning with two outs and a man on first. He singled, but the Mountaineers failed to manufacture a run.
Estridge continued into the ninth inning, and Graveline came in to catch. Kelly moved from catcher to second base. Estridge walked the first batter, but got a double play groundball to end the inning.
The Mountaineers came into the bottom of the ninth down three runs. Guzman led off with a single, and Kelly and Paul Schoenfeld followed with walks to load the bases. After a Smith strikeout, Ineich hit a ball toward the right-center gap. The right fielder dropped it, and two runs came home for WVU, leaving men on third and second base.
Kevin Schoneboom came in for Evans and struck out the first batter he faced, leaving WVU with one out remaining in the contest. Graveline was at the plate after coming in the eighth inning to pinch-hit. He hit a single to center field, which scored the winning run from second with ease. The Mountaineers came back from a 10-2 deficit to win, 11-10, and force a rubber match with UCF.
Top performers
- M. Graveline (WVU): 2-for-2, 2 RBI
- M. Ineich (WVU): 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
- A. Guzman (WVU): 3-for-5, RBI, 3 R, SB
- J. Smith III (UCF): 3-for-5, 2B, 4 RBI, 3 R
What’s next?
WVU wraps up the series against UCF tomorrow, Sunday, April 5, at 12 p.m. The game is at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark and is aired on ESPN+. The next game is a midweek game against Marshall on Tuesday, April 7, in Morgantown at 6:30 p.m.
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