No. 13 West Virginia Hosts No. 23 UCF in Key Big 12 Baseball Series

The Mountaineers and Knights face off in a three-game set with major conference title implications.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 2:07pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in navy, green, and orange hues, capturing the dynamic action and intensity of a college baseball game through Cubist techniques.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes college baseball showdown between No. 13 West Virginia and No. 23 UCF.Granville Today

The No. 13 West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team will host the No. 23 UCF Knights in a crucial three-game Big 12 Conference series this weekend. The Knights currently hold a one-game lead over the Mountaineers in the conference standings, making this series pivotal in determining the regular-season champion. The two teams have met six times previously, with West Virginia winning all of those matchups, though three of the games were decided by just one run.

Why it matters

This series could have major implications for the Big 12 Conference regular-season title race. With UCF holding a narrow lead over West Virginia in the standings, the outcome of this weekend's games will go a long way in deciding which team emerges as the conference champion. The Mountaineers have dominated the Knights in their brief history, but UCF will be looking to finally get over the hump and earn their first win in the series.

The details

The series opener is scheduled for Friday, April 3rd at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the Saturday game set for 4 p.m. ET and the Sunday finale at 12 p.m. ET. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+. On the mound, West Virginia will start Dawson Montesa (3-3, 5.77 ERA) on Friday, Maxx Yehl (5-0, 1.38 ERA) on Saturday, and Chansen Cole (4-0, 3.62 ERA) on Sunday. UCF's probable starters are Braden Smith (3-1, 6.40 ERA) on Friday, TBA on Saturday, and Camden Wicker (2-1, 2.78 ERA) on Sunday.

  • The series opener is on Friday, April 3rd at 6:30 p.m. ET.
  • The Saturday game is set for 4 p.m. ET.
  • The Sunday finale is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET.

The players

Dawson Montesa

The West Virginia starting pitcher for Friday's game, who has a 3-3 record and 5.77 ERA this season.

Maxx Yehl

The West Virginia starting pitcher for Saturday's game, who is 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA so far this year.

Chansen Cole

The West Virginia starting pitcher for Sunday's game, who is 4-0 with a 3.62 ERA on the season.

Braden Smith

The UCF starting pitcher for Friday's game, who has a 3-1 record and 6.40 ERA.

Camden Wicker

The UCF starting pitcher for Sunday's game, who is 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA.

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What they’re saying

“This weekend's series between West Virginia and UCF is a huge one for both teams as they look to gain an advantage in the Big 12 race.”

— Jim Schlossnagle, Head Coach, TCU Baseball

“We know West Virginia has had our number in the past, but this is a new year and we're confident we can finally get over the hump against them.”

— Rudy Garcia, UCF Baseball Player

What’s next

The winner of this series will take sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference standings. The loser will fall one game behind in the race for the regular-season title.

The takeaway

This weekend's series between No. 13 West Virginia and No. 23 UCF has major implications for the Big 12 Conference baseball race. The Mountaineers have dominated the Knights in their brief history, but UCF will be looking to finally break through and earn their first win in the series, which could go a long way in determining the conference champion.