MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – John Smith III went 3-for-5 with four RBIs while Mateo Gray went a career-long 6.1 innings, but it wasn’t enough as No. 11 West Virginia evened the series with an 11-10 victory over No. 23 UCF on Saturday afternoon at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
Despite suffering the setback, the Knights (19-9) remain atop the Big 12 Conference standings with a 9-2 league record. WVU (21-6) sits a game back at 8-3. The final and decisive game of the series is set for Sunday at noon.
The Mountaineers struck first with an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 advantage. In just his second start of the season, UCF right-hander Gray settled down from there as he put up zeros over the next couple of innings which included retiring the side in order in the third with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Knight offense then got things going in the top of the fourth by scoring three runs on four hits to take a 3-1 lead. Andrew Williamson started things off with a leadoff double and Smith III immediately followed with a double down the leftfield line to drive in Williamson. Zak Skinner then singled to put runners on the corners and Javier Crespo followed with an RBI groundout to plate Smith III and give the Black and Gold the lead. Landon Moran capped the scoring in the inning with an RBI single up the middle.
Willy and John Smith with back-to-back doubles and we are tied 👊 pic.twitter.com/xDSUgzDBpZ
— UCF Baseball (@UCF_Baseball) April 4, 2026
The Mountaineers countered with a solo home run to left off the bat of Sean Smith in the last of the fourth to pull within a run, but UCF responded by scoring three more runs in the fifth to take a 6-2 lead. The Knights loaded the bases with nobody out in the inning, as Austin Jacobs was hit by a pitch, Cayden Gaskin dropped down a bunt single and Williamson walked. Smith III then plated pair of runs with a two-run single to left to make it 5-2. Moran later drove home his second run of the game with a two-out RBI single up the middle.
Smith III plates two more with a 2-run single to left 😤 pic.twitter.com/KTeKG61LYD
— UCF Baseball (@UCF_Baseball) April 4, 2026
After Gray retired the Mountaineers in order in the last of the fifth, the Knights put up a four-spot in the top of the sixth to extend their lead to 10-2. UCF again loaded the bases with nobody out and the first run of the frame came home on a wild pitch. Smith III then recorded his third hit and drove home his fourth run of the game with an RBI single through the left side of the infield. Skinner then picked up an RBI single to left field and DeAmez Ross capped the scoring in the inning by legging out an RBI single on the right side of the infield for UCF’s 10th run in the middle innings.
WVU picked up a two-run home run from Matt Ineich in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 10-4.
With Gray having exited the game after going a career-long 6.1 innings, West Virginia added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 10-7 contest. Gavin Kelly had the big hit with a two-run double.
The Mountaineers looked to put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth by getting two men aboard, but UCF closer Evan Jones responded with an inning-ending groundout to send it to the ninth. WVU then loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth and rallied for four runs to earn the come-from-behind victory. After Jones recorded a strikeout for the first out of the inning, the Mountaineers scored two runs on a dropped fly ball to make it a one-run game at 10-9. Following a pitching change, Kevin Schoneboom then struck out the next batter for the second out. After an intentional walk loaded the bases to put a force at any base, WVU’s Matthew Gravelline delivered a two-run walk-off RBI single up the middle.
Jones was tagged with the loss in relief to fall to 1-2 after allowing just one earned run (four total) over 2.0 innings of work. In just his second career start filling in for Matt Sauser, the sophomore Gray went a career-long 6.1 innings and struck out a career-high six batters. WVU reliever Carson Estridge earned the win to move to 3-0 on the year.
Offensively, UCF put up 15 hits on the afternoon, and Smith III, Ross and Gaskin had three hits apiece. Smith III led the way by going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while Ross went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Gaskin 3-for-6 with two runs scored. Moran also had a nice game by going 2-for-4 with two runs batted in. Guzman paced the Mountaineers with a 3-for-5 performance with three runs scored and an RBI.
The setback marked just UCF’s second in conference play and snapped a four-game winning streak for the Knights.
On Deck
The Knights and Mountaineers will close the series with the rubber match on Easter Sunday at noon. The game will air on ESPN+ as well as on the radio at FM 96.9 The Game. Following the series finale, UCF will return to Orlando to host neighboring foe Stetson in midweek action for 407 day on Tuesday, April 7 at 6 p.m.