No. 16 national seed WVU Baseball (45-15) makes its Omaha debut against the Troy Trojans (38-30) on Friday. Game 1 of the 2026 Men’s College World Series from Charles Schwab Field features a first-time matchup, and the stakes could not be much higher. Read more: WVU, Troy kick off 2026 Men’s College World Series.
Both teams are coming off dominant Super Regional hosting performances after getting through grueling Regionals. The Big 12 runner-up and the Sun Belt runner-up get the first crack at action in Nebraska, with first pitch Friday set for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.
Where the Mountaineers stand
WVU is presumably well-rested after a quick sweep of Cal Poly in the first-ever Morgantown Super Regional. It is hard to believe this staff made program history in head coach Steve Sabins’ second year at the helm.
The Mountaineers outscored the Mustangs 29-3 across the two games. It was capped off by a 17-run, 5-homer performance Saturday to punch the ticket to Omaha.
The old gold and blue have been red-hot in the aftermath of the one loss to Kentucky, winning five straight since facing the brink of elimination.
Veteran presence from the likes of postseason hero Armani Guzman, Gavin Kelly, Maxx Yehl, and Mr. May/June himself (Ben Lumsden) is a key factor to the team’s success.
Related: Clutch veterans fueled WVU’s run to Omaha
Lumsden, in particular, has come alive for the second postseason in a row. Two home runs against Cal Poly on Saturday and a three-run blast against Binghamton to kick off the Regional washed away his limited body of work in the regular season.
Pair Lumsden with the accolade-heavy Guzman, Kelly, and Yehl— WVU has quite the group of vets.
The competition ramps up now, with Troy coming into the weekend on an absolute tear.
About the opponent
Troy, based out of Alabama, is making also making its first trip to Omaha. It took 10 NCAA Tournament appearances to get to the grandest stage, but they are here.
The Trojans took quite the path to secure a spot in the Cornhusker State. Troy held an 11-16 record through the first 27 games, showing loads of consistency. One night they would go down and upset fellow MCWS colleague Georgia or take down Southern Miss, and another time they would lose to the likes of Mercer and Campbell.
Troy won seven of its final 10 regular season games to make a final push before tournament play in the Sun Belt. This is where the Trojans proved their worth beyond marquee wins against UGA and Alabama.
Related: 15 Mountaineers battle for NFL roster spots as OTAs wrap up
Two wins against South Alabama and a win against a top 10 Southern Miss squad helped propel the team enough to make the NCAA Tournament field. The Golden Eagles prevailed in the SBC, but Troy made its case to squeeze in.
Much like WVU, the Trojans took advantage of Regional favors and got to host a Super Regional. Troy was the upsetting party in the Gainesville Regional, stealing Florida’s thunder.
A 10-5 loss in the Regional opener against Miami meant it would take going through the losers’ bracket gauntlet. Four wins later, including back-to-back against the hosting Gators, and Troy was heading home to welcome Little Rock.
Troy snagged two convincing wins over the opposing LR Trojans to get to this point.
Trojan personnel
Troy is led by head coach Skylar Meade, making waves in his fifth season at the helm. The Trojans have rattled off winning seasons in each of the five years, and currently on a run in its second NCAA Tournament appearance under Meade.
Mind you, Troy is Meade’s first head coaching stint. Not too shabby.
The Trojans can slug. Troy has combined to slam 93 home runs offensively, compared to WVU’s 55. Five Trojan players have 10+ homers, compared to Gavin Kelly standing alone for the Mountaineers in the category.
Related: WVU Baseball has captured the heart of America
Troy also has four players batting +.300, four with 15+ doubles, and four with 60+ runs. The Trojans just know how to score as a whole, averaging 7.1 runs per game. It is a squad built on slugging and consistency, at least in terms of offensive efficiency.
Trojan personnel, cont.
Jimmy Janicki is a name to keep an eye or ear out for Friday. The catcher is the recently-crowned Sun Belt Player of the Year and leads the team in runs (63), doubles (24), home runs (19), and RBI (85). An absolute scoring machine.
Jabe Boroff, the designated hitter, has been on a Lumsden-esque arc. Boroff, who entered the Gainesville Regional losers’ bracket batting .174, has went 12-22 with six homers in the past six outings.
On the mound, Troy touts a star lefty in Zach Crotchfelt. It is not confirmed at the time of publication if the former Auburn/Texas Tech transfer gets the nod for Game 1, but he is the Trojans’ top arm. The New Jersey native enters Friday with a 3.50 ERA and 7-2 record.
This should make for a fun duel, with Chansen Cole announced as WVU’s starter.
Overall, this is a fun matchup on paper. The pomp and circumstance has to go by the wayside now, as the dream is now reality. Neither team can stop and smell the roses anymore, it is time to lock in on the ultimate goal — get in the winners’ bracket.
What’s next
WVU and Troy will duke it out in the first game of the 2026 Men’s College World Series. Action from Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, can be heard on 100.9 FM The Torch or any of its affiliate stations across the John Fredericks Media Network.
First pitch is set for 2 p.m. EST/1 p.m. CT, and you can listen to special pregame coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. EST.
As for other updates and stories, staff writer Brendan Statler is en route to Omaha to provide on-site coverage throughout WVU’s entire run. Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation on any of the following platforms;
- wvsportsnation.com
- WV Sports Nation app (IOS/Android, available now)
- X/Twitter: _wvsportsnation (live scoring updates)
- Facebook: WV Sports Nation
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The Mountaineers are playing with house money now. It will be interesting to see how WVU plays its cards in due time.
Related: The field for Omaha: historical background of each of WVU’s potential opponents
