The atmosphere was electric at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday as the Clemson Regional got underway with a heavyweight clash between No. 2 seed West Virginia and No. 3 seed Kentucky. Both teams entered the contest with high hopes and a chip on their shoulder, each knowing a win would go a long way toward punching a ticket to the Super Regional round. But in a tense, back-and-forth affair filled with timely hitting and stellar pitching, it was West Virginia that emerged victorious, eking out a hard-fought 4–3 win over Kentucky in a game that lived up to its billing.
For the Wildcats, the loss marks a disappointing start to their postseason journey. Kentucky came in riding a wave of momentum, having finished strong in SEC play and boasting one of the more complete rosters in the region. But on this night, it was the little things—the missed opportunities, a few unforced errors, and some tough breaks—that ultimately made the difference. Against a team as gritty and opportunistic as the Mountaineers, even the smallest mistakes were magnified, and Kentucky paid the price.
The game began with both starting pitchers settling in quickly. Kentucky handed the ball to veteran right-hander Ryan Hagenow, who brought a mix of poise and power to the mound. He retired the side in order in the first inning and looked to be in command early. For West Virginia, junior ace Derek Clark answered with a similarly dominant start, navigating Kentucky’s dangerous lineup with an effective mix of fastballs and off-speed pitches that kept the Wildcats off-balance.
It wasn’t until the third inning that the bats began to show signs of life. Kentucky struck first with a leadoff single from Nolan McCarthy, who later advanced on a wild pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Emilien Pitre moved McCarthy to third, and senior outfielder James McCoy delivered an RBI groundout that put the Wildcats on the board. It was small ball executed to perfection, and it gave Kentucky a 1–0 lead.
But West Virginia wasted little time responding. In the bottom half of the inning, JJ Wetherholt—the Big 12 Player of the Year and one of the most feared hitters in the country—jumpstarted the offense with a double to left-center. Two batters later, cleanup hitter Grant Hussey roped a single through the right side to bring Wetherholt home, knotting the game at 1–1. Hagenow minimized the damage, but it was clear that West Virginia was beginning to settle in against his stuff.
The fourth and fifth innings saw both teams trade punches in a chess match that underscored just how evenly matched these squads were. Kentucky regained the lead in the top of the fifth when Devin Burkes laced a two-out RBI double down the third base line, scoring Nick Lopez from second. Once again, however, the Mountaineers answered right back. In the bottom half, with two men on and two out, West Virginia’s catcher Dayne Leonard connected on a looping single into shallow right that barely evaded the outstretched glove of Kentucky’s second baseman. It scored both runners and gave West Virginia its first lead of the game, 3–2.
From there, the tension began to mount with each passing inning. Every pitch, every at-bat, every defensive shift carried postseason weight. Kentucky threatened in the sixth when they loaded the bases with just one out, but Clark buckled down and induced an inning-ending double play that had the West Virginia faithful on their feet. It was the type of momentum-swinging play that can define a tournament, and the Mountaineers never looked back.
In the seventh, West Virginia added what would prove to be the winning run. A leadoff walk, a stolen base, and a perfectly executed bunt set the stage for another Leonard RBI—this time on a sacrifice fly to center field. The Mountaineers led 4–2, and though it wasn’t a big inning, it was enough to apply real pressure on the Wildcats.
Kentucky continued to battle, showing the kind of resilience that defined their season. In the eighth inning, after a pitching change brought in West Virginia reliever Tyler Switalski, the Wildcats scratched across another run. Pitre worked a walk, stole second, and came around to score on a single from McCoy, who finished the game with two RBIs. The lead was cut to 4–3, and Kentucky looked poised to stage a late rally.
But Switalski, and later closer Carlson Reed, had other plans. Kentucky got the tying run to third base with two outs in the top of the ninth, but a sharp ground ball to shortstop ended the game. Reed, who had walked a tightrope in the inning, pounded his fist into his glove as the West Virginia bench stormed the field in celebration. It was a dramatic, nerve-wracking finish to a game that featured everything fans love about postseason baseball—clutch hitting, lockdown pitching, and razor-thin margins.
West Virginia’s head coach Randy Mazey credited his team’s toughness in the postgame press conference, saying, “We knew this was going to be a grind. Kentucky is as well-coached as any team in the country, and they don’t give you anything for free. We just had to stay within ourselves, stay focused, and take advantage of the few opportunities we were given. Our guys showed a lot of heart tonight.”
On the other side, Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione expressed disappointment but also confidence that his team would bounce back. “This is a resilient group,” Mingione said. “We’ve faced adversity all year long, and we’ve always responded. Tonight didn’t go our way, but we’re still alive, and I believe in our guys. We’ll be ready to fight tomorrow.”
Indeed, the loss means Kentucky will now have to fight its way through the loser’s bracket, a tall task in a competitive regional like this one. It also puts added pressure on the pitching staff, which will need to be near-perfect if the Wildcats hope to survive multiple elimination games in as many days.
One bright spot for Kentucky was the performance of reliever Mason Moore, who threw two scoreless innings to keep the Wildcats within striking distance. Moore struck out three and gave his team a chance, something that won’t go unnoticed as the tournament progresses and arms become increasingly taxed.
Offensively, McCoy, Pitre, and Burkes carried the load, combining for five of the team’s eight hits. But Kentucky was just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, a stat that loomed large in such a closely contested game.
For West Virginia, the heroics of Dayne Leonard and the steady leadership of Wetherholt set the tone. But it was Clark’s poise on the mound—especially in high-leverage situations—that ultimately tilted the game in the Mountaineers’ favor. He went six and two-thirds innings, allowing just two earned runs and striking out five while walking only one. It was a classic performance from a seasoned arm, and it came at the perfect time.
With the win, West Virginia moves into the winner’s bracket and will face the winner of No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Lipscomb on Saturday. It’s a position every team in the regional covets, as it allows a degree of breathing room and a more manageable path to the Super Regionals.
Kentucky, meanwhile, faces the harsh reality of an elimination game. One more loss and a season filled with promise comes to an abrupt end. But if there’s one thing this Kentucky team has shown, it’s that they don’t go quietly. The road ahead will be difficult, but the journey is far from over.
As the sun set over Clemson and fans filtered out of the stadium still buzzing from the day’s action, it was clear that the 2025 Clemson Regional was already living up to expectations. For West Virginia, Friday’s win was a statement. For Kentucky, it was a wake-up call.
Now, the Wildcats must regroup quickly, because the next time they take the field, everything will be on the line.
