GRANVILLE — What may have been the most “That’s so West Virginia” type of situation was pulled off Thursday night inside Kendrick Family Ballpark.
The 17th-ranked Mountaineers were dominated by Kansas pitching in getting shut out 3-0 … and WVU captured its first-ever outright Big 12 baseball title.
It was the first time the Mountaineers (40-11, 19-7 Big 12) have been shut out since March 22, 2024, which covers a span of 89 games.
Instead of celebrating the moment with a win, the Mountaineers’ conference championship was airmailed from 1,084 miles away from Stillwater, Okla., where Oklahoma State took down Arizona State, 6-2, eliminating the Sun Devils from contention for the league regular-season title.
“It’s still super rewarding,” said WVU outfielder Kyle West, who had two of WVU’s six hits in the game. “This isn’t how we wanted this game to end, but a season isn’t made just based on one game.
“I think we’ll still celebrate, because it is a huge feat. We’ll take some time to reflect on the loss first, but then we’ll take some time to celebrate as a team.”
The title ensures WVU will be the No. 1 seed in next week’s Big 12 tournament, and it comes in Steve Sabins’ first season as the Mountaineers’ head coach.
“No mixed feeling, just gracious and humbled to be here,” Sabins said. “It is really special. No mixed emotions, because winning is hard. Winning titles at West Virginia in a 14-team league, that is not a mixed feeling for me. That is a beautiful thing.”
WVU also won a Big 12 title in 2023, but had to share the honor along with Texas and Oklahoma State in a three-way tie.
There will be no sharing this season.
“There are 14 (Big 12) teams competing for this,” Sabins continued. “Some are in unbelievable recruiting areas. Some have unbelievable budgets. Some with more first rounders. Some with more tradition.
“It’s hard, and so if you can do hard things and accomplish things that have never been done in program history, there are just feeling of gratitude that I get to be a part of it.”
As for the game itself, Kansas (40-14, 18-10) remained alive for the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 tournament with an impressive pitching performance from Dominic Voegele, who scattered six hits over seven innings. He struck out six and didn’t walk anyone.
“That guy was a stud, and studs can beat you,” Sabins said of Voegele.
The Jayhawks went with their closer, Alex Breckheimer over the final two innings. He allowed no hits and struck out four.
In all, WVU went just 1 for 11 (.091) with runners on base and had just two runners reach third base the entire game.
“He commanded the zone all night and got on top of people early,” West said of Voegele. “He got ahead in counts. His stuff was great. You have to give credit to him.”
The Jayhawks essentially won the game on Brady Counsell’s fielder’s choice RBI in the first inning.
The game remained 1-0 until the eighth inning, when Michael Brooks hit a solo home run. Ian Francis added another solo home run in the ninth inning for the final score.
WVU starter Griffin Kirn took the tough loss. He pitched eight innings and allowed two runs on seven hits. He struck out 10.
“I told him after the game he may be the least-rewarded pitcher on our staff,” Sabins said.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, as the Mountaineers try to bounce back.
The Mountaineers could use it, because they haven’t exactly looked the part of the Big 12’s top dog ever since their walk-off loss against Marshall on April 30.
They’ve lost six of their last nine games with three of those losses coming in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the ninth inning.
A shutout loss can now be added to that list.
“We are losing as of late, which is never fun,” West said. “It’s about if you can grow and learn and get better from those losses.”
