OMAHA, Neb. — Jimmy Janicki is among the most productive hitters in college baseball this season.
So when Troy’s cleanup hitter, who had homered in his previous at bat, stepped into the box representing the potential tying run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning against West Virginia, Mountaineer head coach Steve Sabins felt he had little choice but to make a move.
Out went Ian Korn and on came Ben McDougal.
With McDougal having finished off three postseason victories across the last two seasons for the Mountaineers, including two in high-leverage spots, Sabins was plenty comfortable turning to the left-hander.
Chalk up another one for WVU’s second-year head coach. McDougal got ahead of Janicki 0-2 before inducing a fly ball that first baseman Brodie Kresser ran down in foul territory, securing the Mountaineers’ 7-5 victory over the Trojans in the opener of the Men’s College World Series at Charles Schwab Field.
“I just came at him with fastballs. Plain and simple,” McDougal said.
WVU (46-15) notched its sixth consecutive win and will next play at 6 p.m. (CST) Sunday against North Carolina.
The Trojans (38-31) take on Ole Miss at 1 p.m. Sunday.
“We played clean baseball. I thought the guys were grounded and were themselves,” Sabins said. “And I think that’s all you’re looking for this time of year.”
Korn was nothing short of stellar and earned the win by pitching six innings and allowing one run on two hits.
Janicki’s home run with two outs in the seventh inning was the only offense Korn surrendered, but the sophomore’s 20th long ball this season traveled 429 feet to easily clear the wall in left-center and allowed the Trojans to pull even at 5.
With the game still tied in the bottom of the eighth, Matt Ineich hit a first pitch single to start the frame for the Mountaineers. Ineich had seen 22 pitches across his previous three at bats.
“Those prior at bats are all preparing me to where I’m able to swing at the first pitch and just let it go. Seeing those pitches and sticking to my approach led to that,” Ineich said.
Postgame thoughts from Matt Ineich after West Virginia’s 7-5 win against Troy. pic.twitter.com/iRyNYwBwvW
— Greg Carey (@gcarey938) June 12, 2026
Brodie Kresser followed with a single and Ben Lumsden’s second sacrifice bunt of the game allowed both baserunners to advance 90 feet.
No. 9 hitter Tyrus Hall then continued his exceptional postseason and brought both runners home with a single to right, leaving WVU with the 7-5 lead.
“It’s just winning baseball. First and second and no outs in that gritty type of game you alluded to,” Lumsden said. “That’s what’s going to get the job done. The bunts get down and Tyrus delivered both times. As great as the bunts are, the guy behind has to deliver and Tyrus did that twice today.”
Hall credited Lumsden for putting him in position to succeed.
“Postseason Lummer is just incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Hall said. “It’s like Barry Bonds up in front of me. And it’s nice to sit behind him because it puts pressure on the guy, they’ve got to get him first.”
Korn retired the first two batters of the ninth before issuing a walk to Blake Cavill that allowed Janicki to step to the plate representing the tying run.
That created another opportunity for McDougal, who finished off a victory against Clemson in the 2025 postseason, threw the last five innings to help the Mountaineers avoid elimination against Kentucky in the Morgantown Regional and recorded the final three outs in Game 2 of the Super Regional against Cal Poly.
“Dougal’s had ice water in his veins. He’s a killer,” Sabins said. “And he’s one of the most quiet guys and most humble guys. And he’s from the state of West Virginia. And every big moment that he’s ever been put in, he’s basically been himself or elevated his game.”
FINAL: West Virginia 7, Troy 5
Mountaineers improve to 46-15 and will face the winner of North Carolina-Ole Miss at 6 p.m. (CST) Sunday. pic.twitter.com/dhpERmTOxL
— Greg Carey (@gcarey938) June 12, 2026
West Virginia capitalized on one of two Troy errors to score the first run. The defensive miscue enabled Armani Guzman to reach second, and after Guzman moved to third on a throw to first to complete an out when Gavin Kelly strikeout, the speedster stole home to make it 1-0. It marked Guzman’s 39th stolen base this season in 42 attempts — good for a new single-season program record for steals.
“That was the coolest part of it, stealing home,” Guzman said. “I think that’s what West Virginia baseball is known for. And I feel like Victor Scott is one of those guys who kind of started that thing. I think it was really special for it to be on this stage that way.”
After a strong first inning, WVU starting pitcher Chansen Cole ran into trouble and surrendered three straight hits with two outs in the second, including Jabe Boroff’s single that tied it for the Trojans.
The Mountaineers regained the lead at 3-1 in that inning when Hall belted a two-run double to left-center.
But Cole encountered more trouble in the third despite a high-level defensive play from Hall to take a hit away from Josh Pyne and record the first out of that inning. Troy followed with four hits in five at bats to make it seven hits across its last 10 at bats. That stretch featured a Steven Meier sacrifice fly, before Drew Nelson singled to center to tie it at 3. The Trojans gained their first lead on Sean Darnell’s run-scoring double, and that marked the end of Cole’s outing.
“Of course you’re not going to publicize this — we just felt like it was a good matchup for us in terms of just the way our lineup’s constructed, what our guys can do, their plan implementation,” Troy coach Skylar Meade said.
On came Korn, and the WVU deficit was short-lived as Sean Smith blasted a solo home run later that inning to make it 4-all.
“As a pitching staff, every guy on that staff is ready to go in whenever their name’s called,” Korn said. “We wanted Chansen to go a little longer, but we were all ready to go. And when your name is called, you’re ready to go and firing with all pitches.”
The Mountaineers regained the lead in the fourth when Hall worked a two-out walk and came around to score on Guzman’s double to left.
That 5-4 lead held up through the fifth and sixth, and Korn retired the first two batters of the seventh to make it eight straight altogether.
“He was a big strike thrower, and he had good stuff,” Janicki said. “We competed our tails off, but at the end of the day, he just had good pitches, good stuff.”
WVU totaled nine hits, including two apiece from Smith, Kresser and Hall.
The Mountaineers did not make an error.
“Huge role. I think starting with Tyrus Hall’s diving play in the 6-hole and then Brodie Kresser handled the ball really well,” Sabins said. “Maybe started with Gavin Kelly at second base early in that game. Left-handed hitter hit a ball up the middle and he went bent-knee slide up the middle and then set his feet and threw a strike to first base. Those are just game changers.
“Especially to set the tone and just settle in, especially a hard play right off the bat, if you’re timid at all, you just don’t make those plays. So the kids were in a great, great headspace.”
Troy starting pitcher Benjamin Stubbs allowed five runs on five hits in 3.2 innings. Left-handed reliever Zach Crotchfelt suffered the tough-luck loss after a strong outing. He allowed two runs on four hits with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
The Trojans also had nine hits and two each from Janicki, Nelson and Darnell.
“Really fun game, excited to be here. I thought the guys played great,” Sabins said. “I want to make sure I spend a little bit of time on just how well Troy played and how well coached they are and how competitive that team is. And what Skylar Meade has done with that program is nothing short of incredible. They deserve a ton of credit.”