OMAHA, Neb. — Tyrus Hall hit the tiebreaking single for West Virginia in the eighth inning, Ian Korn held Troy to one run in his longest relief stint of the season, and the Mountaineers beat the Trojans 7-5 in the opening game of the 80th College World Series on Friday afternoon at Charles Schwab Stadium Omaha.
It was the first CWS appearance in program history for each school.
Hall hit a two-run double in the second inning and came up in the eighth with two runners on against Zach Crotchfelt. With the infield pulled in, Hall chopped the ball over first base for a two-run lead.
Korn, the NCAA Division II pitcher of the year at Seton Hill near Pittsburgh, steadied the Mountaineers after Troy knocked out West Virginia starter Chansen Cole in the third inning. Korn (6-1) went six innings and allowed two hits, including Sun Belt Conference player of the year Jimmy Janicki’s tying home run in the seventh.
Little-used reliever Ben McDougal came on with a runner on base and two outs in the ninth and got Janicki to foul out for his first save. Shortly after that, the Mountaineers stood side by side along the third-base line to face their celebrating fans and sing “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”