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WVU Baseball Punctuates Thrilling Walk-Off Win vs. Kentucky With Rousing Rendition of 'Country Roads'

Warning: Content might make you cry.
Brigid Kennedy|
The Mountaineers traditionally sing 'Country Roads' after a WVU win.
The Mountaineers traditionally sing 'Country Roads' after a WVU win. | ESPN / Screenshot

When West Virginia University baseball fans think back on the 2026 NCAA Tournament, it won't be first baseman Armani Guzman's walk-off single that they remember. Although that part was pretty cool, too.

Instead, it will no doubt be the stadium-wide rendition of John Denver's "Country Roads"—a moment that also brought with it plenty of tears—that comes to mind.

The Mountaineers were up against the Kentucky Wildcats in game 7 of the Morgantown Regional on Monday night, the winner of which would advance to the Super Regional round and bring themselves one step closer to the World Series in Omaha.

But toward the end of the elimination game, things were tense. Although WVU at one point held a 5–1 lead, the situation grew much more fraught in the evening's latter half, when Kentucky tied things up in the eighth on back-to-back home runs.

Thankfully, though, the Mountaineers' prayers were answered at the bottom of the 10th, when Guzman hit a single and grad student Brodie Kresser brought it in for the game-winning run. Ticket = punched.

Soon after that, the entire stadium was swaying back and forth and singing John Denver in unison. At one point, a visibly emotional Guzman even got on the mic and led the crowd in song.

Watch that below:

"That was fun. Couldn't draw it up any better," WVU coach Steve Sabins said after the game. "I think everything that you love about coaching and everything that you love about the players was on full display this weekend. It was cinema. Literally everything that you could imagine.

"The place was sold out. There's more and more people going on that hill every time that we play. And we're bringing a Super Regional to Morgantown for the first time in program history. The goal, since I've been here for 11 years, has been to do things that have never been done in program history. And to be able to do that again this season is certainly special."

The Mountaineers now get to stay at home for the next round, where they will face Cal Poly. Game 1 of that series is slated for June 5 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2; Game 2 is on June 6 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Timing for a Game 3, if needed, is still TBD.

Why does WVU sing 'Country Roads'?

It's a great question. According to WV News, the Mountaineer Marching Band began playing "Country Roads" in 1972, just one year after the song was first released. And not long after that, the ditty made its way into football. It is traditionally played after a WVU win.

On Monday, many a fan chimed in online, moved by the unifying fandom on display. For longtime WVU supporters, the fact that this song was sung wouldn't have come as a shock ... but something about this particular moment did seem quite special. Perhaps it was a great reminder of just how wonderful sports can be.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.

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