WVU Enters Big Weekend as Big 12 Race Heats Up

Can the Mountaineers claim the top spot in the league standings?

West Virginia junior JJ Wetherholt watches his two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning versus UCF. / Christopher Hall

Fresh off a three-game sweep of Baylor and a beatdown of the Pitt Panthers in the Backyard Brawl, the West Virginia Mountaineers enter this weekend just one game out of first place with nine games remaining in conference play.

Randy Mazey’s squad will make the “quick” trip over to Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats, who currently reside in sixth place in the Big 12 standings. Cincinnati has won three of its last four conference series, the only fallback being a sweep by Oklahoma State. Despite the up and down season, the Bearcats have been a tough customer when playing at the friendly confines of UC Baseball Stadium. On the year, they hold a 15-5 mark at home.

If the Mountaineers can find a way to pull out two wins and earn the series win, they’ll keep pace with the others atop the league.

Elsewhere around the league:

Oklahoma, who leads the way in the conference, will be on the road for a series against a desperate Texas Tech team.

Oklahoma State, who is tied for second place with West Virginia, will travel to Austin this weekend for a three-game set with the Texas Longhorns, who sit two games out of the top spot in the standings. 

Big 12 Standings (as of 5/2):

Oklahoma 15-6

Oklahoma State 14-7

West Virginia 14-7

Texas 13-8

Kansas 12-9

Cincinnati 11-10

Texas Tech 12-12

Kansas State 10-11

UCF 9-12

Baylor 9-12

TCU 10-14

Houston 6-15

BYU 6-18

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