Troy vs West Virginia Picks, Predictions & Odds for College World Series

• West Virginia is listed as a 69-cent (-223) favorite against Troy in the College World Series opener
• The Mountaineers outscored their opposition 29-3 in the Super Regionals
• Get the Troy vs West Virginia picks, predictions and odds for the College World Series, below

The College World Series begins this afternoon, with Game 1 featuring Troy vs West Virginia. Both programs are making their inaugural CWS appearance, with the Trojans being labelled this year’s Cinderella after their surprising run through the Sun Belt and subsequent Regional rounds. Despite being the feel good story, prediction markets aren’t giving them much of a chance today. They’ve pegged the Mountaineers as heavy favorites, but I think there’s an argument to be made that the line isn’t short enough.

First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm ET from Charles Schwab Field, in Omaha, Nebraska, with ESPN providing the broadcast coverage.

Below, you’ll find my Troy vs West Virginia picks and predictions, along with the latest odds for the College World Series opener.

Troy vs West Virginia Odds (College World Series)

Prediction Markets

Moneyline Prices

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Kalshi

West Virginia

69%

Troy

33%

Predict

Odds as of June 12 at Kalshi. Make sure you use SBD’s exclusive Kalshi referral code to score a bonus to bet on the College World Series.

As of Friday morning, West Virginia is trading at 69 cents to win at Kalshi, which is the equivalent of a -223 favorite in traditional sports betting terms. Troy comes back trading at 33 cents (+203), while Bet365 is listing the total at 10.5 runs.

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Troy vs West Virginia Picks and Predictions for College World Series

• West Virginia Moneyline (69¢ at Kalshi)
• West Virginia Over 5.5 Runs (-140 at Bet365)

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I’ll get to my favorite Troy vs West Virginia picks and predictions momentarily, but first we have to mention the parity that exists in College Baseball. There are zero returning teams from last year’s CWS, which marks the second straight year that’s been the case. Over the past three seasons, 23 different teams have made the College World Series with North Carolina being the only program to crack the field twice.

The Mountaineers enter play fresh off a destruction of Cal Poly in the Super Regional, where they outscored their opponents 29-3. This is a complete team with elite starting pitching and relievers, and a lineup that is always on base. They’re also top-25 in the nation in fielding percentage, making it nearly impossible to find holes in their roster. Because of that, West Virginia is my favorite longshot pick in the College World Series odds.

They’ll turn to Chansen Cole this afternoon, giving them a major advantage in the starting pitching department. Cole is 10-1, with a 2.85 ERA this season, whiffing 106 batters in only 94 innings. The righty has been phenomenal so far this postseason, posting multiple double-digit strikeout performances.

At the dish, the Mountaineers boast a .307 average and an OBP north of .400. They don’t hit a ton of home runs, but they steal nearly two bases per game and are one of the most clutch hitting teams in the nation.

The West Virginia bats draw a favorable matchup today versus Troy starter Benjamin Stubbs, who enters play with a 4.93 ERA. Stubbs has been the Trojans most reliable arm, but he has struggled versus quality competition. He’s coughed up four or more runs five times in his last eight starts, yielding 5+ runs three times.

As for the Troy bats, they hit for a lot more power than the Mountaineers, but they’re also much more prone to strikeouts. They don’t execute small ball nearly as efficiently either, and if the ball isn’t leaving the yard the offense can find itself in trouble in a hurry. That’s often the case against top competition, which explains their uninspiring 10-13 record versus Quad 1 opponents, and is concerning with a pitcher of Cole’s caliber on the mound for West Virginia.

With that in mind, I’m taking the Mountaineers moneyline today. Even when Cole leaves the game, West Virginia’s strong cast of bullpen arms should keep the Trojans in check. I’m also betting over 5.5 runs for the Mountaineers. They’ve tallied 7+ runs in seven straight games, with 9+ runs in six of those outings.