MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University baseball team’s record-breaking season concluded with a 12-5 defeat to LSU in the NCAA Super Regional, despite a three-hour weather delay. The Mountaineers, who finished with a program-best 44-16 record, were unable to overcome an early onslaught from the Tigers (48-15).
LSU quickly established control, scoring in the first inning. Their lead expanded significantly in the second as WVU starter Jack Kartsonas struggled, issuing three consecutive walks that loaded the bases. Steven Milam then cleared them with a double, part of a six-run second inning that saw Kartsonas pulled after just two frames, having given up six earned runs, five walks, and one strikeout.
“He felt bad,” said WVU catcher Logan Sauve. “He kept apologizing to me.”
Mountaineers Showed Fight, But Offensive Struggles Persisted
Despite the early 6-0 deficit, West Virginia showed resilience. Reliever Chase Meyer provided a much-needed stabilize over the next four innings, allowing the Mountaineers to chip away at LSU’s lead. Sam White ignited the offense with a solo home run in the fourth, followed by a two-run blast from Ben Lumsden, cutting the deficit to 6-3. White struck again in the fifth with an RBI single, bringing the score to 6-4.
However, LSU sealed their victory in the seventh inning. A fielding error, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases before Chris Stanfield’s two-run single stretched the lead. Three more runs, capped by a two-run homer from Jake Brown, pushed LSU’s advantage to 12-4. Jace Rinehart added a final solo home run for WVU in the eighth.
Offensively, the Mountaineers struggled to capitalize on opportunities, going just 6-for-34 overall and 3-for-15 with runners on base. On the mound, WVU pitchers combined for nine walks and three hit batters.
“The reality is, we didn’t have a single pitcher go more than four innings,” said WVU head coach Steve Sabins. “That’s not due to a lack of effort. It’s not a matter of competing. They just ran out of gas.”
A Season to Remember
Though the Super Regional loss marked a disappointing end, the 2025 season was truly historic for WVU Baseball. The team achieved a program-best 44 wins, secured their first outright regular season conference title since 1987, and claimed back-to-back NCAA Regional championships for the first time in program history.