Mountaineers Set for Home‑Field Battle in NCAA Regional
West Virginia University’s baseball program has earned the No. 16 seed and the honor of hosting a NCAA regional tournament that begins on May 29. The announcement came as the Mountaineers prepare to welcome three opponents — Binghamton, Wake Forest and Kentucky — into a double‑elimination bracket that could stretch into early June.
The schedule calls for WVU to open against Binghamton at 5 p.m. on ESPN+, with the game streamed live to viewers across the country. Should the Mountaineers advance, they would then face the winner of the other bracket, which includes the No. 2 seed Wake Forest and the No. 3 seed Kentucky, a team that entered the tournament with a 37th‑ranked RPI.
RPI rankings place WVU at 17th, while Wake Forest sits at 20th and Kentucky at 37th, with Binghamton lagging at 117th. The Mountaineers have previously met both Wake Forest and Kentucky in fall scrimmages, giving them a modest edge of familiarity despite the disparate seedings.
Head coach Steve Sabins, who has led the team to two consecutive Super Regional appearances, said he is proud of the opportunity to showcase the program at home. “We’re excited to bring the community together and give our fans a chance to experience March baseball in Morgantown,” Sabins remarked, adding that the atmosphere will be both electric and challenging.
The tournament’s broader field features six Big 12 schools, including Cincinnati, UCF, Arizona State, Oklahoma State and WVU itself, while the SEC leads with twelve participants. Notably, rival Pitt, despite a strong ACC Tournament run, missed the cut, underscoring the competitive nature of the selection process.
If WVU advances, they would travel to face the champion of the Los Angeles Regional, hosted by UCLA, in the next round. The potential matchup adds a layer of intrigue, especially given the Mountaineers’ recent 3‑0 sweep of Kentucky in the Clemson Regional last season.
Gavin Kelly, the team’s top performer, emphasized that rankings and opponents are secondary to the task at hand. “I’m focused on executing our game plan and letting the results speak for themselves,” Kelly said, a sentiment echoed by Sabins as the team gears up for the home crowd.