When West Virginia hit its lowest point of the season, utility player Armani Guzman was just getting started.

A blowout loss to Arizona in the Big 12 tournament semifinals sent regular-season champion West Virginia to its ninth loss in 13 games — a momentum-killing stretch at the worst possible time heading into the NCAA tournament.

Nearly forgotten from that game was a pair of late singles by Guzman in a pinch-hitting role. First-year coach Steve Sabins noticed, promoting the sophomore to a starting spot in the regional.

It was the spark the Mountaineers sorely needed.

Batting last in the lineup, Guzman went 8 for 12 with six RBIs in three games and was named regional MVP. The Mountaineers (44-14) beat host Clemson once and Kentucky twice to advance to their second straight super regional starting Saturday at No. 6 national seed LSU (46-15).

“I bet there’s never been a nine-hole hitter been a tournament MVP,” Sabins said. “What he did was epic.”

Guzman had shown a flash of stardom earlier this season. In an April 1 game at Ohio State, he reached over the right-field wall to take away a home run, then threw out a runner at first base for a double play. He is West Virginia’s third-best hitter with a .337 average and leads the Mountaineers with 16 stolen bases.

But from April 11 to May 22, Guzman was used sparingly as a defensive replacement and went just 1 for 8 at the plate.

Guzman stayed patient until his turn came up again.

“His mentality has been so spot on,” Sabins said. “You want to talk about a confident guy that’s not arrogant. He is in such a strong place competing right now that he knows he’ll have success.”

Making his first start in nearly a month, Guzman hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth inning of a 4-3 win over Kentucky in the regional opener. In the clinching 13-12 win over the Wildcats on Sunday, the Mountaineers overcame deficits of 6-1 and 12-7. Guzman went 4 for 5 and his single in the eighth inning drove in the go-ahead run.

“I was a guy who didn’t play the last month and a half, and I’m here in this position,” he said. “I think it’s a big confidence boost to each guy. The confidence that we have in each other is huge.”

Being used on defense in the outfield and at third base while often being inserted as a pinch hitter during the season, “I just try to be an athlete,” Guzman said. “Sabs talks about it all the time. His job is to place us where he thinks we best fit. My job is to play the game. So that’s all I do.”

Clutch all around

As good as Guzman played, West Virginia needed all the gutsy individual performances it could get in the regional.

“That’s just the type of group we are,” said catcher Logan Sauve, who went 5 for 15 in the series. “We all stuck for each other and played for each other and wished for the kid behind us to do better than what we just did.”

Griffin Kirn threw 117 pitches over seven innings in the opener, then returned two days later to pitch the ninth inning in relief and earn the save in the clinching win.

Utility player Ben Lumsden, a starter a year ago who managed just four hits previously this season, started in place of veteran Grant Hussey at first base and had a breakout series in his home state with three hits and five RBIs.

Lumsden and Guzman “bought into the fact that regardless of results, the only path forward is to work,” Sabins said.

Getting refocused

As a rookie head coach, Sabins, who took over for the retired Randy Mazey, saw new experiences throughout the season.

West Virginia opened with 13 straight wins, captured its first outright Big 12 regular-season championship and set a school record for wins.

But the final month of the season, when the losses were piling up, was mystifying. So team and individual meetings were held. Videos were reviewed. Highlight films were emphasized.

“We threw things into a fire and started over,” Sabins said.

He even tried to figure out different ways to conduct practices.

“You try to keep it light and intense at the same time, and you try to push the right buttons every step of the way,” Sabins said.

Road confidence

West Virginia’s 24-5 road record is the best among teams in the super regionals.

At Clemson, the visitors’ bullpen is pinned in the left-field corner just a feet away from fans, and West Virginia’s pitchers heard relentless banter from the stands.

“I was thankful we played at Clemson because I thought that environment at Clemson was loud and pretty raucous,” Sabins said. “You had those kids in the bullpen that were like touching our guys warming up. So I think our guys will be prepared in that avenue.

“Our team will go into anybody that we play for the remainder of the season believing that we can win the game if we play good baseball.”

• West Virginia offers affordable and accessible outdoor activities for families, including hiking, biking, whitewater rafting and rock climbing.
• The New River Gorge is a popular destination, with various lodging options ranging from camping to hotels.
• West Virginia is a four-season destination, offering activities like skiing and viewing fall foliage in addition to warm-weather adventures.

“Family Travel” is a five-part series showcasing the best experiences and destinations for young families looking for an escape. If you’d like to contribute to our future reporting and share your experience as a source, you can click here to fill out this quick form. 

OAK HILL, West Virginia ‒ Extreme sports like whitewater rafting and rock climbing may seem like something best left to adults, but in West Virginia’s New River Gorge, outdoor adventure can easily be an activity for the whole family.

Guided excursions can be tailored to everyone’s skill level and ability for those who want to go all-out, but there are less-extreme ways to get in touch with nature along one of the world’s oldest rivers, too. 

Here are just some of the reasons West Virginia should be on your list if you’re looking for a family-friendly outdoor vacation.

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Why West Virginia is a great place for family outdoor adventure 

Affordability and accessibility are two of the big benefits to getting outside in West Virginia. 

Hiking and biking trails in state and national parks are free to access for everyone who visits the state, but even for more intense guided excursions, the prices are a good deal. (There is also an entry fee for Harpers Ferry National Historic Park.) 

“We’re definitely one of the most affordable destinations,” Lindsey Funk, a public relations assistant at West Virginia Department of Tourism told USA TODAY on a recent visit. “Hiking is probably one of our most family-friendly activities.”  

Funk said there are plenty of short hikes, like the Endless Wall trail, which can be done in just a few hours, though guides are available for hire as well. 

For more intense activities like whitewater rafting and rock climbing, families may prefer to hire a guide to keep things safe. 

“With a lot of those guided trips, like, in the Gorge specifically, you can kind of tailor it,” she said. “There’s a family-friendly option that’s more of afloat, and then there’s a more intense trip for more experienced people.” 

ACE Adventure Resort is one of the guide outfitters, and charges $99 per adult for a full-day guided family trip with rapids up to Class III on the New River. On that excursion, kids ages 6-11 go for free (one per full-fare adult), and youths ages 12 and up are charged $79.99.

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For comparison, the Colorado Rafting Company charges $159 per person for a full-day guided excursion on the Colorado River. 

Pricier and more intense excursions are also available. Depending on conditions, rapids in some sections of the New River can hit Class IV or higher.  

West Virginia is also home to professional circuit bike races and other events, which Funk said attracts spectators and encourages more families to try outdoor activities.

Where to go 

Outdoor adventures in West Virginia are available in many parts of the state, but the New River Gorge is certainly among the biggest draws with the most options for activities.  

Charleston, the state capital, is about an hour north of the National Park there, and other cities closer to the park include Fayetteville, Beckley and Hinton. 

Where to stay and how to get there 

The closest major airport to the New River Gorge is in Charleston, WV. Amtrak also serves the area, and of course, cruising the country roads is an option as well. 

Funk said that families should think about what their lodging priorities are when they book, because there are options at all different price points from traditional tent camping to boutique hotels. Because the Gorge is so accessible from Charleston, staying in the city is a viable option, too. 

“The thing would be families to decide what they want their lodging to be like. If they’re wanting more of a remote cabin, then staying in in the Gorge is best. Whereas if they want more of these city options, they could stay (in Charleston) and just go to the Gorge for a day trip.” 

Four seasons of outdoor fun 

Funk said that outdoor adventures aren’t limited to the warmer weather months in West Virginia, either. 

“The seasons is a big thing that we appreciate here and is interesting to a lot of other people that we are a four season destination,” she said. “We have beautiful fall foliage, but then we have ski resorts and snow in the winter, so people can try out a season-specific activity if they want to.”

This story was updated to refresh headlines.

The reporter on this story received access from West Virginia’s Department of Tourism. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com. 

The third of a quintet of West Virginia solar farms just came online, and while that’s a renewable milestone, there’s a disappointing hitch.

3 out of 5 West Virginia solar farms are online

FirstEnergy subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison have launched a 5.75 megawatt (MW), 17,000-panel solar farm at Marlowe in Berkeley County. The new solar farm sits on about 36 acres of land along I-81 and the Potomac River – land that used to store ash from the retired R. Paul Smith Power Station.

In 2022, FirstEnergy wrapped up a major cleanup effort, pulling more than 3 million tons of ash from the site to be reused in cement manufacturing. With the landfill officially closed, the company cleared the way to turn the former waste site into a clean energy generator as part of its solar program. Fifty-four local union workers constructed the solar farm, which features US-made solar panels, a racking system, and electrical equipment.

It’s the third of Mon Power and Potomac Edison’s five solar farms that will generate up to 50 MW of clean energy combined. The companies completed their first solar farm at Fort Martin Power Station (18.9 MW) in early 2024, and their Rivesville solar site (5.5 MW) came online last fall. In total, the companies now have 30 MW of solar capacity.

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Electrek’s Take

Combined, the five projects will create more than 87,000 Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) available for purchase by customers for 4 cents per kilowatt hour in addition to normal rates. Aside from the essential benefit of cutting carbon emissions, there isn’t anything else in it for customers, apart from spending, on average, an extra $40 or so a month out of the goodness of your heart to go solar. Heck, you don’t even get a T-shirt.

Mon Power and Potomac Edison – why are customers being charged MORE to buy into solar in West Virginia? That’s a stick, not a carrot. (And WV? Coal’s not coming back. It doesn’t matter what Trump says.)

But solar growth anywhere is something to be cheerful about, and solar energy in coal-state West Virginia is progressing. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, as of Q4 2024, 205 MW of solar is installed in West Virginia. So, it’s no surprise that it’s at the bottom – it’s ranked 49th in the US for the amount of solar installed. However, it’s projected to reach 40th place over the next five years with 1,064 MW, so at least it’s expected to improve.

To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*