Bears Complete the Sweep of the Cutters in 4-3 Walk-off Win

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MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

Bears Complete the Sweep of the Cutters in 4-3 Walk-off Win

July 26, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


GRANVILLE, W.Va. - In another strong game for West Virginia, the Black Bears beat the Williamsport Crosscutters 4-3 to complete the three-game sweep on Thursday evening. What began as a quiet night for both teams ended in a walk-off for the Bears with T.J. Williams scoring the winning run. With the win, West Virginia moves to 4-3 in the second half of the MLB Draft League season.

As with the two games prior, Thursday's contest began as a scoreless affair. Starting pitcher Christian Womble blanked the Crosscutters through the first three innings, retiring the side in order in the second and third. Though West Virginia threatened with runners on base in the first two frames, Cutters' starter Tyler Valdez pulled the defense out of each inning unscathed.

The Bears' offense found their footing in the fourth to take a two-run lead. After a walk of Trace Willhoite, former Mountaineer Dayne Leonard sent the ball bouncing past first baseman Ethan Kiple and into right field to advance Willhoite to third. Connor McGuire stepped up to the plate to hit a double into right field that scored Willhoite and Leonard from first, earning his second two-run double of the series.

Williamsport responded with one in the top of the fifth. Porter Brown doubled on a fly ball to left field and was brought home by Ethan Kiple's grounder to third. But the defensive efforts of the Black Bears stifled the Cutters, ending the rally with a strikeout from Womble.

Conner Mackay took the mound for Womble in the seventh, ending the starter's longest outing for the Bears. Mackay went three up, three down - recording two strikeouts with 11 pitches.

West Virginia tacked on a third run in the bottom of the eighth, stemming from a lead-off triple from center fielder Alex Vergara. A single from Dayne Leonard scored Vergara for a 3-1 lead.

The first-half champions refused to go quietly, slipping two runs past closer Jackson Kirkpatrick and West Virginia's defense in the top of the ninth to tie. With the bases loaded from walks, Kiple hit a ground-rule double to center field, bouncing over the wall and plating two runners.

With the game on the line, the top of the Bears' order headed to the plate. T.J. Williams took first after being hit by a pitch. Barely evading a throw from home, Williams stole second, moving into scoring position. What looked like an easy out on a Furr sacrifice bunt bounced in front of Kiple's glove, allowing Furr to reach on a throwing error. With the costly error, Williams scrambled home, sliding headfirst into the dish to walk it off for West Virginia.

In his longest outing to date, starter Christian Womble earned top honors in his six innings pitched. Womble, a Jackson State and 2024 HBCU Swingman Classic alum, allowed four hits and one run, striking out six. Conner Mackay held the Crosscutters hitless and scoreless in his single-inning appearance with two strikeouts. Despite the two-run ninth, Jackson Kirkpatrick picked up the win for the Bears.

West Virginia's bats continued to produce in the final game of the series, with Trace Willhoite going two-for-two with one run. Connor McGuire's single hit scored two of the Bears' four runs, with Dayne Leonard driving in the third.

With the win, the Black Bears (4-3) are in second place in the MLB Draft League's second half, tied with Mahoning Valley and State College. The Bears return to Kendrick Family Ballpark on Friday evening for the first game of three against the first-place Trenton Thunder. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. with a hat giveaway for the first 500 fans at the gate and post-game fireworks presented by WVU Medicine.

- WVBB -

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