Full Breakdown
West Virginia Advances to First-Ever Home Super Regional After Walk-Off Victory Over Kentucky
6/3/2026, 5:25:29 AM
The Decisive Game: Walk-Off Win Secures Regional Title
On Monday night at Kendrick Family Ballpark, the West Virginia Mountaineers defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 6–5 in ten innings to capture the Morgantown Regional. A walk-off single by senior infielder Armani Guzman drove second-base runner Brodie Kresser home, ending the contest and sending WVU to the NCAA Super Regionals for the third straight year.
Background: West Virginia’s Path to the Morgantown Regional
The Mountaineers entered the regional’s loser's bracket after an early loss to Kentucky. They then won three consecutive elimination games, including an 11–9 comeback win over Kentucky on Saturday and a victory over Wake Forest on Friday. The ten-inning finale marked the program’s third consecutive regional championship and set up a historic home Super Regional.
Key Performers
- Armani Guzman: 3-for-6 in the final, 10 hits and seven RBIs over the weekend, and the game-winning walk-off single.
- Gavin Kelly (sophomore): .400 batting average, three home runs, nine RBIs, and named the Morgantown Regional Most Valuable Player.
- Ben Lumsden: .652 on-base percentage, leading the team in walks.
- Dawson Montesa: Relieved in the 10th, recorded the final two outs after a 122-pitch outing the day before.
Data & Statistics
- Final score: 6–5 (10 innings).
- Attendance: 4,607 (third-largest crowd in ballpark history).
- WVU season record after the win: 43–15 overall, 21–9 in the Big 12.
- Cal Poly (future opponent) entered the Super Regional 39–22, having allowed only five runs in three Los Angeles Regional games and striking out 33 batters.
- Super Regional schedule: Game 1 – Friday, June 5, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2); Game 2 – Saturday, June 6, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2); Game 3 (if necessary) – Sunday, June 7.
Official Statements & Responses
West Virginia Athletics Communications announced that the Mountaineers will host the Super Regional against Cal Poly from June 5–7, marking the first time the program will host this round. The release emphasized the team’s “third straight Super Regional appearance” and the goal of reaching the College World Series for the first time in school history. Schedule details and ticket-allocation procedures were also provided.
Criticism & Opposition
Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione questioned his staff’s late-inning pitching choices, noting that the Wildcats’ ace Jaxon Jelkin was not used in the ninth inning of the earlier 11–9 win, a decision he described as “frustrating.”
On-the-Ground Reactions
Fans erupted in a chorus of “Country Roads” after the walk-off hit, and the stadium was described as “the best college baseball atmosphere in the country.” The crowd’s energy was highlighted by multiple outlets, noting the 4,607 spectators and the celebratory singing that followed the victory.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources that identified the tournament MVP named Gavin Kelly, while one article omitted the player’s name. No other substantive discrepancies were found.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It was just truly a beautiful week of baseball, and getting to spend more time with thesekids is always the goal,” — Steve Sabins, Head Coach
- “Everything that you love about coaching and everything that you love about the players was on full display this weekend. It's cinema.” — Steve Sabins
- “It was really cool,” — Armani Guzman
- “I almost let myself kind of think, like we won this game,” — Armani Guzman
- “It’s been cemented that this is the best college baseball atmosphere in the country,” — Steve Sabins
What’s Next: Super Regional Stakes
The Mountaineers will face the Cal Poly Mustangs in a best-of-three series beginning Friday, June 5. A two-game sweep would send West Virginia to the College World Series in Omaha, offering the program its first chance at a national title.
