After Walk-Off Heroics, Former Georgia High School Baseball Standout Leads 'Country Roads' Celebration

The former Georgia high school standout capped a dominant NCAA Regional with a walk-off hit and a memorable postgame celebration.

Former Rabun Gap-Nacoochee standout Armani Guzman helped send West Virginia to the NCAA Super Regionals with a walk-off RBI single against Kentucky and later led fans and teammates in a postgame rendition of "Take Me Home, Country Roads." | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Armani Guzman has known big moments before, but maybe not many as big as what he experienced on Sunday. Guzman, who was once a high school baseball star at Georgia’s Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, made a splash on ESPN on Sunday, with his bat and later with his voice.

Guzman Comes Through in the Clutch

Now a junior utility player for the University of West Virginia, Guzman delivered one of the biggest hits in West Virginia baseball history, as his walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted WVU to a 6-5 walk-off victory over Kentucky. The victory completed a two-game sweep of the Wildcats in the NCAA Morgantown Regional finals, sending West Virginia to the NCAA Super Regionals to face Cal Poly.

The game-winning base hit capped a 3-for-6 performance by Guman, which produced two runs scored and the walk-off RBI. That followed a 2-for-4 game on Saturday, in which Guzman scored twice and drove in two against the Wildcats.

A Regional to Remember

In five regional games, Guzman was 10-for-22 (.455 avg.) at the plate. He scored eight runs, produced seven RBI, ripped three doubles and walked three times. He has started all 58 of West Virginia’s games, producing a .308 average with 58 runs, a team-high 19 doubles and 38 RBI. Guzman also has a team-best 36 steals in 39 attempts. He was named to the All-Regional Team for the second straight year.

“Ever since I got here, I’ve always wanted to be the man,” Guzman told The Daily Athenaeum following the game. “I’ve always wanted to be the guy.”

West Virginia will now host a Super Regional for the first time in program history when Cal Poly visits Morgantown next weekend

Country Roads Celebration Goes Viral

In the dugout for a post-game interview with ESPN, Guzman showed off other talents. With his teammates on the field, arm-in-arm and celebrating the victory before a capacity crowd in the Mountaineers’ Kendrick Family Ballpark, Guzman led everyone in a rousing rendition of John Denver’s "Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

Singing the song, which has become synonymous with the state of West Virginia, has become a tradition following major victories in Morgantown.

SING THAT SONG, WEST VIRGINIA!

What a moment in Morgantown. This is why we love college baseball ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GckCPLI9jT

— ESPN (@espn) June 2, 2026

This moment underscores a signature WVU baseball tradition that captures the community spirit and emotional highs that make college baseball uniquely compelling.

From Georgia Standout to College Star

A native of New York, Guzman played his high school baseball in Georgia at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee where he was a three-time all-conference selection and an all-state selection as a junior. PerfectGame had him rated as the No. 96 shortstop in the Class of 2023, and the nation’s No. 469 overall prospect.

He played both shortstop and outfield, which has translated to his college career where he has played all over the field for the Mountaineers.