Tuesday evening marked the end of WVU’s 14-game winning streak, with a narrow 3-2 loss to Penn State. The Mountaineers (34-5, 13-3) will try to bounce back this weekend as they return to Big 12 Conference action against UCF (23-17, 6-12) in a three-game series. Read more WVU baseball heads to Orlando for UCF series.
The Matchup
West Virginia University and the University of Central Florida will battle each other on the baseball diamond Friday through Sunday at John Euliano Park in Orlando. UCF is seeking revenge against WVU following a 2024 series sweep by the Mountaineers in Morgantown, a series in which the visiting Knights were ranked #17 in the country. Contrary to last season, the Mountaineers are the ones going on the road as the ranked team to face the Knights in conference play.
While WVU lost to Penn State on Tuesday, UCF went on a short road trip to Florida Atlantic and walked out of Boca Raton with a 17-2 victory in a game that was settled in seven innings. UCF is on a three-game winning streak, as the Knights also took the final two games of a three-game conference series against a ranked TCU squad.
READ: WVU’S WINNIN STREAK ENDS AT 14
During the winning streak, albeit a skewed statistic thanks to the lopsided victory over FAU, the Knights outscored opponents 26-5 across three games. A damning statistic for the visiting Mountaineers is that Tuesday marked the first time this season that WVU failed to score at least three runs in a game. Offensive production will have to return to form for WVU to avoid an upset from a UCF team that sits in 12th place out of 14 teams in the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers are clinging onto the top spot in the league, with Kansas (32-10, 12-6) trailing right behind their coonskin cap tail.
Players to Watch
For UCF, Andrew Williamson is a menace when it comes to launching baseballs into the gap (or out of play, for that matter). The sophomore outfielder leads the Knights in RBIs (40), doubles (14), and home runs (8), according to the most recent statistics found via UCF Athletics. Defensively, Williamson has started every game this season and has only been charged with one error.
As for WVU, Spencer Barnett was the hot hand in Tuesday’s loss. Barnett’s swing of the bat in the seventh inning resulted in a two-run homer that ended up being the only scoring play for West Virginia in the matchup against Penn State. The sophomore possesses a batting average of .321, while ranking third on the roster so far this season in SLG% (.543). Keep an eye on Spencer Barnett to try and keep the momentum from his performance Tuesday to help WVU get back into the win column.
Also, it is worth noting that pitching will be a premium factor throughout the weekend. As mentioned, the Knights have only allowed five runs in the team’s past three contests. West Virginia has had occasional bullpen issues that have come in waves throughout the season, but luckily, it has not cost the Mountaineers many games. Throwing will need to be in solid condition to escape Orlando with multiple victories.
Tune In
The three-game series between the UCF Knights and the West Virginia Mountaineers gets underway Friday at 6 p.m. within the confines of John Euliano Park in Orlando, Florida. Game two will take place at the same time on Saturday. A Sunday matinee is in store to wrap up the trifecta of Big 12 Conference showdowns, with first pitch set for 1 p.m. All three games will be streaming on ESPN+ at the time of first pitch and will also be streaming on 100.9 FM The Torch, along with its nine affiliate stations.
WVU Baseball Heads to Orlando For UCF Series
