The No. 16 West Virginia University baseball team scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat Kentucky, 11-9, on June 1 and force a decisive game seven. The next matchup against the Wildcats is scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m.
With this win, the Mountaineers improved their record to 42-15 while Kentucky fell to 33-22. This marks the first time West Virginia will play in a game seven since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1999.
Senior Paul Schoenfeld delivered the go-ahead home run in the ninth inning, his fourth of the season and first at Kendrick Family Ballpark. His homer followed three earlier runs by West Virginia that tied the game. The rally began with a fielding error by Kentucky’s third baseman, followed by senior Ben Lumsden walking and junior Tyrus Hall singling to load the bases. Junior Armani Guzman walked, sophomore Gavin Kelly hit a sacrifice fly bringing West Virginia within one run, and Wildcat pitcher Oliver Boone balked during a pickoff attempt, allowing Guzman to score and tie it up. Schoenfeld then hit a 1-0 pitch over right field for what became the winning runs.
Guzman contributed two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored while graduate student Brodie Kresser had two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI. Schoenfeld reached base four times with two RBI and two runs total.
On pitching duty, senior Ben McDougal threw five innings in relief with six strikeouts while giving up just two runs on three hits as West Virginia played its fourth game in three days with limited pitching options.
West Virginia started strong with three first-inning runs through contributions from graduate Sean Smith (hit by pitch), senior Matthew Graveline (sacrifice fly), and Kresser (base hit). After Kentucky responded early with several scoring innings—including back-to-back home runs in the seventh—McDougal limited further damage, which allowed for West Virginia’s late comeback.