STATESBORO, Ga. (Interstat) — The West Virginia Mountaineers erupted for nine runs over the final four innings to turn a close game into a rout, defeating the Georgia Southern Eagles 15-3 in the season opener for both teams Friday at J.I. Clements Stadium.

The game, played on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, was a tight 4-3 contest until the Mountaineers broke it open with a five-run sixth inning, capitalizing on walks, a balk and timely hitting. West Virginia added three unearned runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to secure the decisive victory.

The most important sequence of the game occurred in the top of the sixth inning with West Virginia clinging to a 4-3 lead. The Mountaineers loaded the bases with one out against Georgia Southern reliever Sam Kalkbrenner. Ben Lumsden’s sacrifice fly brought home one run, and after a hit-by-pitch reloaded the bases, a balk by Kalkbrenner forced in another run for a 6-3 advantage.

Gavin Kelly then delivered the pivotal blow, a two-run single to right-center field that scored two more. Following a walk and a wild pitch, Armani Guzman cleared the bases with a two-run double down the right-field line, capping the five-run outburst and extending the lead to 9-3. The inning saw West Virginia send 11 batters to the plate, transforming a one-run game into a comfortable six-run cushion from which Georgia Southern could not recover.

West Virginia’s offense produced 12 hits and benefited from 10 walks and four hit batters. Guzman led the charge with two doubles and three RBIs. Matthew Ineich tripled and drove in two runs in the ninth, while Kelly finished with two RBIs. Leadoff hitter Sam Hall scored three runs, singling three times, stealing two bases and scoring on a pair of creative plays, including a delayed double steal in the fifth.

Georgia Southern managed just five hits off four West Virginia pitchers. Sam Trammell had two hits and an RBI for the Eagles. Their runs came on an RBI single by Trammell in the first, a groundout by JD Myers in the second and a sacrifice fly by Jarrett McCoy in the fourth.

Mountaineer starter David Cole worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits. Reliever Tyler Thacker earned the win, while Georgia Southern’s Anthony DeGondea took the loss.

The victory gives West Virginia a 1-0 start to the season, while Georgia Southern begins 0-1. The teams are scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday to continue the series.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, West Virginia entered the game with a 65.80 percent probability to win.