GRANVILLE, W.Va. — In a season filled with strong performances, Chansen Cole authored his best on Saturday as No. 18 West Virginia defeated Kansas State, 9-1. With the victory, WVU secured their sixth Big 12 series win in eight tries.
Cole went the distance on the hill for the Mountaineers (30-12, 15-8 Big 12) in a 120-pitch performance. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out nine. Micah Kendrick’s solo home run for KSU (26-21, 9-14 Big 12) in the sixth inning was the only blemish as Cole upped his record to 8-1 on the season.
“It feels good. I didn’t get it done at Texas Tech, but it was good to finally get one,” Cole said.
“When young guys have the opportunity and really finish something, I think that allows for serious growth,” said WVU head coach Steve Sabins.
“That guy gets to walk a little bit differently knowing that he not only started the game, but he finished the game. I think that is really important for the psyche of young guys to understand that they are capable of that.”
“With Chansen, you know what you are going to get every weekend,” said WVU catcher Gavin Kelly. “Hit your spots and just nasty, nasty stuff over and over again.”
Cole pitched eight innings in an April victory at Texas Tech, which was his longest start of the season prior to Saturday’s complete game.
The Mountaineers turned a pair of double plays behind Cole, one in the fourth and another in the seventh. They were started by Matthew Graveline in left field and Brodie Kresser at shortstop.
“Gravy showing off the arm. He’s got a ridiculous arm. We always thought he could throw 100 on the mound.”
Steve Sabins on WVU’s 9-1 win over Kansas State and the opportunity to secure a series sweep Sunday: pic.twitter.com/JV6JDzNoKR
— Joe Brocato (@joebrowvm) May 2, 2026
West Virginia scored at least one run in the third inning through the sixth inning. Gavin Kelly’s solo home run in the third broke a scoreless stalemate. It was his seventh homer of the season.
“Off the bat, I thought I missed it,” Kelly said. “But I hit it well and spun it well.”
Later in the inning, a two-run triple from Armani Guzman extended WVU’s cushion to 3-0.
WVU added two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to build a 6-0 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Sean Smith broke the game wide open with a three-run home run, his sixth of the season. Both Kelly’s and Smith’s home runs went to the opposite field.
“You don’t always see the wind going out to center and to right center. Right when Gavin hit that ball, I looked to the flag and it was kind of going in that direction. It is really hard to hit a ball opposite field at this place as a right-handed hitter. Both those guys crushed it.”
Kelly, Paul Schoenfeld, Graveline, Guzman and Kresser each had multi-hit games as part of WVU’s 15-hit attack.
Kansas State starting pitcher Lincoln Sheffield (6-2) allowed six runs (three earned) in five innings.
The Mountaineers have outscored K-State 16-1 in taking the first two games in the series. West Virginia will go in search of their second Big 12 series sweep of the season Sunday at 1 p.m.
“We got an opportunity to win a series on a Saturday. To do that, it is really good for the team,” Sabins said. “Heading into tomorrow and having a chance to sweep a talented Kansas State team, obviously that’s our goal.”
“We’re going for the sweep,” Kelly said. “That’s all. It doesn’t really matter if we win the first two. We want three every weekend.”