Late-Inning Heroics Lift No. 15 West Virginia Past No. 7 Kansas, Clinch Series

The No. 15 West Virginia Mountaineers (34-12, 18-8) clinched the series over the No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks (37-14, 20-6) with a 5-2 decision Sunday afternoon, marking the first win over a top 10 opponent on the road since 2022.

West Virginia senior Paul Schoenfeld gave the Mountaineers the lead in the top of the first inning with a towering two-out solo home run to straightaway centerfield.

Kansas junior Tyson LeBlanc responded in the bottom of the frame, hugging the left field line for a 411-foot two-out solo blast, tying the game at one.

The Mountaineers reclaimed the lead in the second after senior Matthew Graveline hit the first pitch of the inning up the middle for a leadoff single, moved to second on a passed ball, and junior Armani Guzman advanced Graveline to third on a ground out to second before senior Brodie Kresser placed an RBI sacrifice fly to left field for the 2-2 lead.

Kansas senior Josh Dykhoff tied the game in the fifth with a drive off the high centerfield wall for an inside the park home run.

West Virginia starting pitcher Chansen Cole tossed five innings and allowed to runs on five hits and struck out five before handing the ball over to graduate senior Ian Korn.

The Mountaineers regained the lead in the eighth when senior Sean Smith and Graveline planted one-out singles to left field, and with two outs, Kresser hit a ground ball deep in the hole left side, but the throw from Leblanc one-hopped off the glove of Dykoff at first, scoring the go-ahead run.

West Virginia sophomore Gavin Kelly crushed his 12th home run of the season, the second of the series, with a two-run 432-foot bomb over the centerfield wall for the 5-2 lead.

Korn threw four inning and finished with authority, facing the minimum and recording two of his three strikeouts on the afternoon in the bottom of the frame as the Mountaineers captured the 5-2 victory.

West Virginia will look for the series sweep and the opportunity to pull within a game of Kansas on Sunday afternoon. The first pitch is set for noon EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.

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