Kansas Takes Game 2, Clinch Series over West Virginia

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Christopher Hall | Last updated May 16, 2025 9:50 PM ET

Granville, WV – The No. 16 West Virginia Mountaineers (40-12, 19-8) gave up a five runs in the fourth inning and never recovered, falling to the Kansas Jayhawks Friday night 8-5.

Kansas captured a 1-0 lead in the first inning for the second consecutive game after sophomore Brady Ballinger hit a leadoff double to right-centerfield and advanced to third on a wild pitch, then a walk placed runners at the corners before WVU head coach Steve Sabins opted to pull junior starting pitcher Gavin Van Kempen.

Junior Ben McDougal got the call and limited the damage, following a Daniel Osoria hit a deep fly ball to centerfield for the sacrifice RBI.

West Virginia tied the game in the bottom of the inning after Gavin Kelly checked swing a base hit down the third base line and Kyle West followed with a single through the right side as Kelly took third. Then, senior Jace Rinehart hit into a 6-4-3 double play, but the tying run crossed home plate for the Mountaineers’ first run of the series.

Senior Kyle West gave the Mountaineers lead with a 367-foot blast for the 2-1 edge.

Kansas broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning. After McDougal gave up a single and a walk, redshirt senior Michael Brooks ripped an RBI double down the right field line. He beaned senior Sawyer Smith his evening came to an end.

Sophomore Chase Meyer entered the game and on the first pitch, senior Chase Diggins hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but a run scored. Then, Meyer hit senior Ian Francis was hit by the 1-0 pitch before sophomore Brady Ballinger lifted a three-run home run for the 6-2 advantage.

Kansas added a pair of runs in the fifth after senior Brady Counsell singled to right field, Osoria followed with a single to left before Meyer recorded the first out of the inning with a strikeout. Then, a wild pitch on a 3-2 count to Brooks scored a run and Meyer exited the game.

Sabins called in JJ Glascock entered the game, walked one before Diggins delivered a sacrifice fly to right field for an 8-2 lead.

West Virginia scratched a run across in the eight after Kyle West ripped his fourth hit of evening for a leadoff double and junior Benjamin Lumsden followed with a pinch-hit single to centerfield and an error allowed West to score.

In the ninth, Ellis Garcia smacked a high fly ball over left field for a two-run, pinch-hit home run to cut the deficit to three, but the Mountaineers could not bring any more runs across as the Jayhawks took game two 8-5.

West Virginia will look to avoid the sweep in game three Sunday afternoon. The first pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.