What was already a series sure to have plenty at stake between TCU and West Virginia became all the more intriguing last weekend when both teams swept three-game sets.
The Horned Frogs (32-18, 16-11) enhanced their postseason resume by taking care of business against Utah, while the Mountaineers (35-12, 19-8) rolled to a sweep at Big 12 Conference-leading Kansas, outscoring the Jayhawks 22-5 in the process.
WVU is up to No. 9 nationally in the D1 Baseball Top 25 and has left itself in position to compete for a Big 12 Championship as well as an opportunity to be one of 16 hosts for the 64-team NCAA Tournament field.
“We’ve had a lot of different players step up in big moments to win games in different ways,” second-year head coach Steve Sabins said.
The Mountaineers will likely look for a similar formula against TCU, the preseason Big 12 favorite that’s won 10 of 13.
Sabins and his staff have elected to tweak the starting rotation giving Ian Korn the nod in Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. series opener, while Maxx Yehl will go Game 2 at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Chansen Cole starts the series finale at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Weekend rotation 💪 #HailWV pic.twitter.com/C4VBcu8Igr
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) May 13, 2026
Across qualifying pitchers in the Big 12, that trio is top three in earned-run average.
Korn has made 16 appearances and one start this season, that an April contest at Cincinnati when Yehl was out of the rotation for extra rest for a weekend. Korn has been critical to the Mountaineers’ success and is 4-0 with a 2.96 ERA across 48.2 innings.
Yehl, who boasts a Big 12-best 2.04 ERA and is fresh off a complete game in a 4-1 win in the series opener at Kansas, has a 7-1 record with 79 strikeouts across 66.1 innings.
“Even as good of a performance as that was, he’s kind of done that all season,” Sabins said. “You don’t have a 2 ERA by giving up many runs. It’s been kind of eerie in the sense that if a couple guys get on base with no outs, it feels like the likelihood is they won’t score because they just haven’t for 60 innings or more this season. That break was probably a godsend for him. Over two weeks on the back end of the season, he threw two innings, and then he threw five innings and then he was able to throw that complete. He’s in a really good headspace, healthy and feeling really good. He made some adjustments.”
For a player that missed the 2025 season coming off Tommy John surgery, but whom Sabins had no shortage of preseason praise for, staying fresh to maintain velocity is pivotal at this point.
“He’s really finding out ways to take care of his body and prepare like a big leaguer would,” Sabins said. “The truth is that guy should pitch for another 15 years. He’s that good. He’s an exceptional talent.”
Cole has also been stellar and leads the Big 12 with eight wins. He has a 2.71 ERA and leads the team with 69.2 innings pitched.
WVU is 22-4 this season across games Yehl or Cole have pitched in.
With Korn starting Thursday, Dawson Montesa will not start against TCU. Montesa is tied with Cole for the team lead with 13 starts, of which WVU has won six of.
Across 61 innings, he has 73 strikeouts, 34 walks and a 5.75 ERA. Montesa has failed to make it five innings in four straight starts.
The Mountaineers have enjoyed a recent power surge despite being last among Big 12 teams with 40 home runs. Thirteen have come across the last six games, with WVU belting multiple home runs in each of those contests save for Sunday’s 13-2 eight-inning win at KU.
Gavin Kelly has been the catalyst with six of the 13 homers, while Sean Smith has three. Kelly’s 12 home runs are a team best, while Smith is second with eight.
“It’s probably more circumstantial and the statistics evening out,” Sabins said. “It’s sure a hell of a nice time to do it down the stretch. There is some experience and getting comfort. Sean Smith has learned to pull the ball in the air and Gavin Kelly is starting to understand in certain counts and situations to get the bat head out and take that risk of jumping a pitch. Maybe that might lead to more swing and miss occasionally in earlier counts. There are guys evolving, but also some balancing of those stats.”
WVU figures to be challenged by TCU, which has a pair of outfielders in Chase Brunson and Sawyer Strosnider that have combined for 100 hits, 23 home runs and 98 RBI.
Cole Cramer leads the squad with 64 hits and a .322 average.
The Horned Frogs’ probably starting pitchers are Tommy LaPour, Lance Davis and Zack James.
LaPour is a hard-throwing right-hander that recently returned from injury, while Davis is 4-2 with a 4.81 ERA in 71 innings and James spearheads the staff with his 6-0 record and 3.49 ERA over 56.2 innings.
“They have some preseason All Americans and Tommy LaPour, a [Wichita State] transfer who just got healthy and he’s been 94-99 [miles per hour]. He’s a big arm and they have some great weekend starters,” Sabins said. “They just swept Utah and are playing good baseball.”