Chumley

Also at 8-4 in the league is the University of Oklahoma, while Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Cincinnati and University of Texas are all near the top with identical 7-5 records.

After its success in Lawrence, Kan., the Mountaineers are riding along with a 19-12 overall record — not impressive enough to voters to be ranked in the nation’s Top 25.

Coming into this week, WVU was coasting along with four straight wins before facing Marshall University again and then ranked the University of Central Florida over this weekend. Central Florida was 21-8 and ranked 17th nation-wide by one poll.

Infielder Reed Chumley was topping the player list of hitters who have qualified with enough games played and plate appearances with his .330 batting average, eight home runs and 23 RBIs.

Mazey

Outfielder Sam White was hitting .328 and second baseman Spencer Barnett was at .304.

Actually with loftier batting averages were catcher Logan Suave, who has missed games with an injury, and infielder JJ Wetherholt, whose hamstring injury cost him about six weeks on the sidelines. Suave was hitting .367 and Wetherholt .346 in just seven games. Wetherholt has been used as the designated hitter since his long-awaited return.

Coach Randy Mazey’s most-used lineup has also seen leftfielder Kyle West (.274), third baseman Ellis Garcia (.258), shortstop Brodie Kresser (.298) and centerfielder Aaron Jamison (.286).

Mazey’s pitching has not taken control of the conference’s batters.

In five starts in the 31-game schedule to date, Derek Clark has a 3-0 record and 1.70 ERA, and Aidan Major (in his eight starts) has a 4.02 ERA with a 3-2 record.

Barnett

In his eight starts, Tyler Switalski has a 7.52 ERA and a 1-1 record and in three starts, Carson Estridge has a 4.22 ERA and an 0-1 record.

West Virginia’s starting rotation on conference-game weekends has often changed . . . and its chances of a high regular-season finish in the Big 12 seems to hinge on how its pitching does for the rest of the season.

Wetherholt needs to stay in the lineup somewhere. And do does Suave. Any further injuries could roadblock a lofty conference finish.

It’s Mazey’s final season before retirement and he’d like to qualify for another NCAA tournament, the same as the Mountaineers did in 2023.

Sauve

Wetherholt

White