Sports stats



MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

Bears Drop Series Finale in 10-8 Loss to the Thunder

August 14, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


GRANVILLE, W.Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears dropped the final game against the Trenton Thunder 10-8 on Wednesday evening at Kendrick Family Ballpark, taking the series 2-1. The Thunder avenged Tuesday night's ten-run loss by scoring seven in the first. Despite two seven-run deficits, the Bears clawed their way back within two. Powered by Jeff Liquori's grand slam in the seventh, the late rally was not enough as the first-place Thunder avoided the sweep.

Trenton's offense came out swinging, putting up seven runs on seven hits in the first inning. Chase Engelhard and Santino Rosso led off with a base hit each, before Jack O'Reilly reached first on a West Virginia throwing error that scored Engelhard. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Andy Blake brought home Rosso for a 2-0 lead.

Hunter Dorraugh and Joaquin Monque repeated the sequence with two singles to load the bases. A two-RBI single from Pete Durocher brought in O'Reilly and Dorraugh to go up four. Ryan Vogel doubled to left field to clear the remaining runners before Engelhard singled on a line drive to score Vogel and take a commanding seven-run lead.

The Black Bears started chipping away at the deficit in the home half. Alex Vergara's base hit put T.J. Williams in scoring position after he reached on a walk. Trace Willhoite delivered a base hit that shifted both runners, sending Williams home and Vergara to third. A groundout RBI from Connor McGuire scored Vergara, cutting the Trenton lead to five.

After giving up seven runs in the first inning, starting pitcher Christian Womble composed himself for the second, picking up another two strikeouts to keep the Thunder scoreless.

The Bears tacked on a solo run in the bottom of the inning as Kendal Ewell reached on a hit-by-pitch. What should have been a routine ground out from Dayne Leonard became a throwing error by pitcher Luke Rettig, as Ewell scrambled to third and Leonard made it safely to second. Williams loaded the bases on a single, and a sacrifice fly from Vergara scored Ewell to bring the score to 7-3.

Three scoreless innings followed as the Bears' defense held the Thunder from extending their lead. Womble and the defense kept Trenton to one hit in the third before retiring the side, and a 4-3 double play from McGuire to O'Dowd ended the fourth.

Rettig picked up his third strikeout in his third inning of work to retire the Bears in order. The lefty shut down the West Virginia offense in the bottom of the fourth by striking out the side to preserve Trenton's four-run lead.

Two more flyouts to Liquori helped the Bears strand two Thunder base runners in the fifth, but Rettig returned in the home half to retire the side, collecting his seventh strikeout.

Will Carsten relieved Womble after he allowed two base hits in the sixth. With one out and Rosso in scoring position, Carsten gave up two singles, allowing Jesse Fonteboa and Blake to collect an RBI each. A base hit from Monque scored Fonteboa to bring the lead back to seven.

Sayer Diederich entered in relief of Carsten in the seventh, dealing two strikeouts to start while retiring the order in ten pitches.

The Bears rallied back in the bottom half of the inning after Adam Bogosian relieved Rettig. On one out, Leonard led the way with a base hit. Two straight walks of Williams and Vergara jammed the bases, just in time for Liquori to deliver his seventh home run of the season with a grand slam.

Manager Adonis Smith tapped his bullpen after the homer, sending in Jacob Denner for Bogosian with one out in the inning. Grounding into a forceout, McGuire stole second base before reaching home on O'Dowd's RBI-base hit. Heading into the eighth, West Virginia trailed by two.

The Black Bears' defense faced four batters in the eighth as Noah Manning replaced Diederich. O'Dowd cleaned up a pick-off error at first base, sending it to Furr who shot it to Willhoite to tag Fonteboa at third for the final out of the inning.

Jack Maruskin relieved Manning in the ninth, dealing two strikeouts to erase any progress and sending the Bears back to the plate for their final rally.

However, Trenton held strong as Ethan Bradford closed the game for the Thunder, retiring the order to record the save.

Jeff Liquori drove the Bears' offense with his grand slam on Wednesday evening, while T.J. Williams finished with one hit in two at-bats and two walks. Christian Womble was credited with the loss, leading West Virginia with five strikeouts in 5.1 frames, while allowing nine earned runs on 12 hits.

Trenton recorded 16 hits in its win over West Virginia. Ryan Vogel led the way, going three-for-five with three hits. Luke Rettig, MLB Draft League Pitcher of the Week, tossed eight strikeouts in 6.0 frames. Ethan Bradford was credited the save, closing the final frame with one strikeout.

West Virginia kicks off a four-game series with the State College Spikes at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park beginning Thursday evening. The Black Bears return to Kendrick Family Ballpark for their final six-game home stand starting Tuesday, August 20. For more information, please visit www.WestVirginiaBlackBears.com.

- WVBB -

Check out the West Virginia Black Bears Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Major League Baseball Draft League message board...

Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from August 14, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central