Mountaineers Defeat Troy to Open College World Series

Friday, June 12

Omaha, Neb.

2 p.m.

West Virginia University

46-15

Troy

38-31

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Troy	0	1	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	9	2
West Virginia	1	2	1	1	0	0	0	2	X	7	9	0

Tyrus Hall smiles during the West Virginia baseball game against Troy in the Men's College World Series

June 12, 2026 07:58 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Adam Grossman

OMAHA, Neb. – The No. 16 West Virginia University baseball team opened the Men's College World Series with a 7-5 victory over Troy, Friday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. The Mountaineers improve to 46-15 this season while the Trojans fall to 38-31.

Junior Tyrus Hall went 2-for-3 with four RBI, which included a two-run single in the eighth inning to give WVU the lead. Graduate student Sean Smith had two hits, including his 10^th home run of the season, while graduate student Brodie Kresser added two hits and two runs scored.

On the mound, sophomore Chansen Cole got the start but lasted just 2.2 innings while giving up four runs on seven hits. Graduate student Ian Korn came out of the bullpen and stabilized the game for the Mountaineers, going 6.0 innings while giving up just one run on two hits and striking out four. Senior Ben McDougal earned the save by getting the final out of the game.

After a scoreless top of the first, junior Armani Guzman manufactured the first run of the game. He reached base on an error by the second baseman and advanced to second as it squirted into the outfield. He then went to third on a throw down to first on a dropped third strike before electrifying the 24,154 people in attendance by dashing home on a straight steal, getting under the catcher's tag.

Troy tied the game in the second, but in the home half, Hall hit a two-run double off the left-center field wall to put the Mountaineers back on top.

In the top of the third, the Trojans responded with three runs to take the lead. Once again, however, WVU responded right away as Smith hit a solo home run to tie the game.

After Korn put up a 1-2-3 fourth inning, Hall earned a two-out walk and came around to score on a double by Guzman, giving the Mountaineers the lead once again after four innings.

In the seventh, Troy tied it up as Jimmy Janicki hit his 20^th home run of the season.

In the bottom of the eighth, sophomore Matt Ineich and Kresser led off the inning with singles before a sacrifice bunt from senior Ben Lumsden moved them to second and third. Hall then hit a chopper to first that bounced over the first baseman's head, allowing two runs to score.

Korn got the first two guys out in the ninth before issuing a two-out walk. McDougal came out of the bullpen to face the All-American and Sun Belt Player of the Year Janicki as the tying run. After getting ahead 0-2, he induced a pop-up in foul territory down the first base line where Kresser had just enough room to make the catch, securing the victory.

West Virginia advances to Sunday's winner's bracket game at 7 p.m. ET where they will face either No. 5 North Carolina or Ole Miss.

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