Kansas Claims Win No. 40; Blanks No. 14 West Virginia 3-0

Thursday, May 15

Morgantown, W.Va.

5:30 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

40-14, 18-10

#14 West Virginia

40-11, 19-7

Kansas

West Virginia

Kansas Claims Win No. 40; Blanks No. 14 West Virginia 3-0

5/15/2025 10:04:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats Conference Stats Highlights

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Kansas baseball clinched the fourth 40-win season in program history and set a school record for the most conference wins in a season with a 3-0 shutout victory against No. 14 West Virginia on Thursday night at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark. In only the third season under head coach Dan Fitzgerald, Kansas has its most wins in a season since 2006.

Kansas improved to 40-14 overall on the year and 18-10 in Big 12 play. The 40 wins are already the most ever in a regular season and now the most in nearly 20 years, while the 18 conference victories are the most in school history. The Jayhawks also have 18 road wins which is a school record.

Dominic Voegele pitched seven dominant shutout innings and struck out six with no walks. Alex Breckheimer followed Voegele and retired all six batters he faced in the final two innings, including a career-high four strikeouts for his seventh save of the season. The shutout for Kansas was a Big 12-leading sixth of the year and the most for the team since the 2013 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Kansas took an early lead in the first inning. After a leadoff double by Derek Cerda, he advanced to third on a flyout and came in to score on an RBI fielder's choice by Brady Counsell. That gave Kansas a 1-0 lead midway through the first.
• Voegele retired the first eight batters of the game and cruised through the first three innings.
• In both the fourth and fifth innings, West Virginia had a runner in scoring position with one out and Voegele navigated his way around it both times.
• The game continued in a pitcher's duel until Kansas finally broke the scoreless drought in the eight inning.
• With one out, Michael Brooks took the first pitch he saw out to left field for a solo home run. The blast gave Kansas an insurance run and made it 2-0 Jayhawks.
• In the ninth inning, Ian Francis led off and worked a full count before sending a ball into the night sky for a solo home run and a 3-0 Kansas lead.
• Breckheimer closed out the bottom of the ninth with a perfect inning that featured a pair of strikeouts to secure the victory.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Dominic Voegele (7-4)
Final line: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO
Loss: Griffin Kirn (4-2)
Final line: 8.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 SO
Save: Alex Breckheimer (7)
Final line: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO

SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME

CURRENT MOOD: pic.twitter.com/z5EqanEG0m
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) May 16, 2025

QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
"Dom was electric and was so efficient. We didn't walk a soul tonight and just did such a nice job of competing in the zone. Offensively we scratch one in the first, and we had the leadoff runner on multiple times throughout, but they did a nice job of pitching out of it. The insurance run in the eighth and the insurance in the ninth were huge. It was just a really, really good college baseball game against another awesome Big 12 team. Really proud of the guys." – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald

"It feels awesome. Coming in here we knew we had to compete and that's what we did. Everything was working pretty well today. I was able to fill up the zone and if they put it in play let the defense work behind me. That's what (the defense) did, that's what I did, and obviously it worked." – Dominic Voegele

"It was unbelievable. Dom had all the things working and I'm super happy for him. He absolutely carved. After Dom, that's just what Breck does and he's that anchor in the bullpen that we always need. He always seems to come in and do the job." – Ian Francis

• Kansas clinched its fourth 40-win season in program history (1993, 1994, 2006). The 40 wins are the most ever in a regular season in school history.
• Kansas set a new school record for the most conference wins in a season.
• Kansas improved to 40-14 this season and 18-10 in conference play. The 40 wins are the most in a season since 2006 (43 wins).
• Kansas has a school-record 18 road wins this season.
• Kansas recorded its Big 12-leading sixth shutout of the season. The six shutouts are the most in a season since 2013 (nine shutouts). West Virginia had not been shutout this season entering the game.
• Kansas has a program-record 95 home runs this year. The Jayhawks have hit a home run in 12 consecutive games.
• Voegele earned his seventh win of the season and sixth quality start of the year.
• Breckheimer recorded his seventh save of the season.
• Brooks hit his ninth home run of the season.
• Francis belted his sixth homer of the year.

UP NEXT
Kansas and West Virginia will play the second of the three-game series on Friday at 4 p.m. CT. First pitch was originally scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT, but the start time was adjusted due to the potential for inclement weather. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.