WVU dominates on the mound in 9–1 win over Kennesaw State

No. 24 West Virginia cruises past Kennesaw State with strong pitching performance

Mar. 3, 2026 at 4:23am

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The No. 24 West Virginia Mountaineers defeated the Kennesaw State Owls 9-1 on Saturday afternoon. West Virginia received a strong outing from starting pitcher Chansen Cole, who worked five scoreless innings with five strikeouts and just two hits allowed. The Mountaineers' bullpen also held Kennesaw State in check, allowing only one run. At the plate, West Virginia had nine hits and reached base 21 times, led by third baseman's 3-for-5 day that included his first home run of the season.

Why it matters

This win continues West Virginia's strong start to the season as they look to build on their No. 24 national ranking. The Mountaineers' dominant pitching performance and balanced offensive attack showed their ability to win convincingly against a non-conference opponent.

The details

Chansen Cole set the tone for West Virginia, retiring the first 10 batters he faced and working five scoreless innings. The Mountaineers' bullpen of Reese Bassinger, Bryant Yoak, and David Hagen combined to allow just one run over the final four innings. At the plate, third baseman had a 3-for-5 day with a home run, while catcher Gavin Kelly reached base five times with a double.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 28, 2026 inside Mickey Dunn Stadium at Henssler Financial Field.
  • Cole worked five scoreless innings to start the game, retiring the first 10 batters he faced.

The players

Chansen Cole

The West Virginia right-handed starting pitcher worked five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out five batters.

Reese Bassinger

The West Virginia right-handed relief pitcher fired two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out two batters.

Bryant Yoak

The West Virginia right-handed relief pitcher allowed the only Kennesaw State run in his one inning of work.

David Hagen

The West Virginia right-handed relief pitcher worked a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game.

Matt Hall

The West Virginia third baseman led the Mountaineers' offense, going 3-for-5 with a home run.

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The takeaway

West Virginia's dominant pitching performance and balanced offensive attack showed their ability to win convincingly against a non-conference opponent, continuing their strong start to the season as they look to build on their national ranking.