CLEMSON, S.C. – The West Virginia University baseball team delivered a thrilling walk-off victory over the Kentucky Wildcats, winning 4-3 in the NCAA Regional Opener at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday afternoon. With the win, the No. 2-seed Mountaineers advance to the winner’s bracket, where they will face the victor of the Clemson and USC Upstate matchup on Saturday at 6 p.m.
The game’s decisive moment came in the ninth inning when sophomore Armani Guzman stepped up with the score tied at three. With senior Brodie Kresser on third base after a leadoff double and a passed ball, Guzman lofted a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Kresser home and setting off jubilant celebrations in the Mountaineer dugout. Guzman, making his first start since May 4, showcased his prowess with two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.
The Mountaineers’ pitching was anchored by a remarkable performance from redshirt senior Griffin Kirn, who pitched 7.1 innings, allowing three runs (only one earned) while striking out seven. Senior Reese Bassinger closed the game with 1.2 scoreless innings, earning his seventh win of the season. Bassinger’s composure was evident in the ninth inning when he escaped a Kentucky scoring threat by striking out Luke Lawrence with two runners on base.
The game began as a pitcher’s duel, with neither team scoring through the first three innings. Kentucky broke the deadlock in the fourth inning, scoring three runs on a squeeze bunt and a costly Mountaineer defensive miscue.
West Virginia responded in the fifth inning, capitalizing on Kentucky’s errors to score two runs. A throwing error by the Wildcats’ second baseman allowed the Mountaineers to chip away at the deficit. In the sixth inning, freshman Gavin Kelly doubled, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Kresser’s groundout, tying the game at three.
Kentucky’s offense was quiet in the late innings, going down in order in both the seventh and eighth. Meanwhile, West Virginia’s determination set the stage for Guzman’s game-winning sacrifice fly in the ninth.
With their season on the line, Kentucky will face the loser of the Clemson vs. USC Upstate game in the elimination bracket. West Virginia, riding the momentum of this dramatic win, aims to continue their journey toward the NCAA championship.
