West Virginia Mountaineers’ RF Armani Guzman scored the opening run of the Men’s College World Series in a thrilling moment that had the crowd cheering at Charles Schwab Stadium on Friday. Interestingly, Guzman didn’t even record a hit to score; he moved to second on an infield error, stole third on a dropped strike call, and then stole home again, highlighting his speed and base-running skill.
The Mountaineers are being touted as the favorites to win the CWS this year, and it is this kind of play that the players are ready to make, which rallies analysts and fans behind WVU. West Virginia went on to win the opening game against the Troy Trojans 7-5, followed by North Carolina beating Ole Miss in the second game 6-2.
Fans shared their excited reactions to Guzman stealing home plate to record the first run of this year’s CWS in Omaha, NB.
“The 1st inning perfectly captures why WVU is the sleeper to win the CWS. Armani Guzman hits ground ball to 2nd base that muffed and gets an extra 90 feet to second. Then takes third after a dropped 3rd strike call. Then steals home. Run without a hit,” one fan commented.
“Scoring the first run of the College World Series on the first straight steal of home in Omaha in over a quarter century to break your school’s single-season stolen base record is a pretty loaded accomplishment,” another fan commented.
“What a way to score the very 1st run of the 1st ever trip to Omaha!” yet another fan commented.
Other fans continued to marvel at Guzman’s athleticism and speed in scoring the run in an improbable situation.
“Wow !! He is the greatest show in the dirt!!! Unbelievable,” one fan commented.
“Broke WVU single steals record with that and it’s the first steal of home in the CWS since 2000,” another fan commented.
“He’s so COOL,” yet another fan commented.
Armani Guzman Has Been a Star For West Virginia in Recent Years
Guzman shone for the Mountaineers this postseason, striking the game-winning hit to beat the Kentucky Wildcats for the second consecutive year and helping them reach the NCAA Super Regionals.
He also recorded four hits and three RBIs across two games in the Morgantown Super Regional, guiding the team to the ‘Greatest Show on Dirt.’ Fans were excited to see his performance on his biggest stage yet.
Having been a key player for several seasons, Guzman will be greatly missed if he departs for the MLB Draft after this season. However, before making that choice, it’s clear Guzman has unfinished business in Omaha, and he’s willing to take risks to achieve ultimate glory with West Virginia.
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