When the final Baseball America rankings dropped this week, a roar swept across Morgantown. It wasn’t just another line in the news feed—it marked a momentous milestone: West Virginia climbed to No. 13 in Baseball America’s final 2025 Top 25.
A Season of Firsts (and Finals)
It was Coach Steve Sabins’ debut year. Inheriting a program on the upswing, he didn’t shy away from bold ambitions, and soon had the Mountaineers tearing through the Big 12 schedule. They clinched their first-ever outright regular-season Big 12 title, finishing with an impressive 44–16 record and a 19–9 conference mark.
And yet, the postseason felt like a storybook come to life: West Virginia swept the Clemson Regional—hammering Kentucky twice and stunning No. 11 Clemson—before heading into the Baton Rouge Super Regional for the second consecutive year. There, they ran into the eventual national champions, LSU, and despite a hard-fought series, bowed out in two games.
No. 13: A Turn of Destiny
When Baseball America placed WVU at No. 13, it signaled national respect—confirmation of elite season-long performance. D1Baseball had them at No. 14, with Perfect Game also slotting them at 14, and they earned No. 17 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. But for Morgantown, No. 13 carried special weight—it meant the national media recognized what Mountaineer fans already felt: this was the program’s finest chapter yet.
The Magic Behind the Numbers
Behind the ranking lay a series of remarkable stats:
- Road dominance: WVU went an astonishing 18–1 away from home—a winning formula forged by unwavering fundamentals and mental toughness.
- Explosive offense: Averaging over 9 runs per game in stretches, including 14 games with double-digit scoring, led by slugger Grant Hussey (42 career homers).
- Defensive intensity: Coach Sabins’ mantra—“don’t beat yourself”—rang true as the team emphasized crisp infield mechanics and trust in every throw.
Each weekend series became theatre: sell‑out crowds flocked to Kendrick Family Ballpark—even on rain‑soaked spring nights. Homegrown energy filled the stands.
Fictional Voice: The Midnight Locker Room
Picture this: it’s late June, hours after the loss to LSU. The locker room hums in near‑silence. Coach Sabins stands before his team, eyes glistening:
“Look at what you built. A Big 12 title. A Super Regional. Thirteen in the nation. You showed grit, heart, and hustle. That ranking? It’s earned. But more than that—it’s proof you belong.”
The players, battered yet beaming, exchange knowing looks. It’s not the end—it’s an inflection point. Senior ace Kyle West wipes his brow, glances around and nods: “We leave it on our terms. Next year, they’ll remember us.”
Turning the Page
Behind the scenes, the program pivots quickly to recruitment and offseason training. The No. 13 ranking becomes a recruiting boon, and whispers across camps mention WVU as the rising destination. Sabins and his staff—assistants Garcia, Roesinger, Oney—prepare for winter workouts with recruits, determined to build on this breakthrough season.
Why No. 13 Matters
In an institution where football long held center stage, baseball’s surge to national prominence is a cultural shift. Conversations around the town, on campus, in local bars, now revolve around sabermetrics as much as the gridiron. Overnight, WVU baseball became part of the state identity.
The Final Word
As the numbers lit up the national polls, one thing became clear: this wasn’t just a bump in the standings. It was the start of a new era.
At No. 13, West Virginia baseball isn’t merely ranked—it’s writing its own legacy. And if the echoes from Kendrick Family Ballpark mean anything, this team—and this community—aim to keep climbing.
