Clark

Even though it lost its first two games for the third straight season in the Big 12 Conference tournament, the NCAA said the Mountaineers had done enough in the regular season to deserve a bid to the national tournament.

West Virginia will take its 33-22 overall record to Tucson, where the University of Arizona is one of the event’s 16 hosts. Arizona will also welcome fourth-seeded Grand Canyon University (Arizona) and its 34-23 record and Dallas Baptist University (44-13).

In Dallas Baptist, the Mountaineers will see a team with an immense national reputation. The Patriots have already won the Conference USA tournament and began the season with a 9-0 record.

No fewer than seven NCAA tournament teams appeared on the 2024 Dallas Baptist schedule. Regular season opponents Alabama, Southeast Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arizona, Indiana and San Diego were played this year by the Patriots.

Wetherholt

It could have been equal parts light air, reachable fences and robust hitting but Dallas Baptist had 111 home runs this season. It also was successful on 86-of-102 stolen base attempts.

Some of the most notable hitters the Patriots have are Chayton Krauss (.352 average, 16 homers, 64 RBIs), Michael Dattalo (.352 average), Tom Poole (.345 average, 10 homers), Ethan Mann (.336 average, 15 homers, 58 RBIs), Miguel Santos (.333 average, 13 homers, 51 RBIs) and Grant Jax (.296 average, 21 homers, 57 RBIs).

Starting pitchers Ryan Johnson (11-2 record, 1.98 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 100 innings), Jaron DeBerry (6-1 record, 3.75 ERA) and Jerrod Jenkins (6-0 record, 3.23 ERA) have been the backbone of Dallas Baptist pitching. The strikeout-loving Johnson is WVU’s likely pitching opponent to begin today’s game.

The Mountaineers will try to counter with All-American JJ Wetherholt (who missed 24 games this season with hamstring problems) and Reed Chumley. Wetherholt still batted .356 and Chumley, a transfer from Houston Christian University, hit 15 homers.

West Virginia has chased after its own effective starting pitching all season long.

Chumley

Left-handed Derek Clark (a transfer from Division II Northwood University) could start this afternoon’s game. Clark had a 3.06 ERA and opponents only batted .236 against him. Throughout the 55-game season, the Mountaineers tried starters Aidan Myers, Gavin Van Kempen, Carson Eastridge, Hayden Cooper and Tyler Switalski for the most part. All of them could pitch in the Regional, even if WVU plays only two games.

There are 16 Regionals scattered all around the country. The 16 Regional winners advance to the so-called Super Regionals. the eight survivors of those Super Regionals advance to the College World Series, to be staged in Omaha beginning on June 14.

Louisiana State University is the defending national champion and has advanced to one of the 16 Regionals.

WVU coach Randy Mazey has announced his retirement at the end of this season. The Mountaineers reached a Regional last season, where they had a 1-2 record and were eliminated.

No WVU team has ever reached as high as qualifying for the College World Series.

Mazey