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MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

Bears Give up Series Opener with 2-1 Loss to Spikes

August 9, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


GRANVILLE, W.Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears dropped the first-of-three to the State College Spikes in a low-scoring 2-1 matchup on Friday night at Kendrick Family Ballpark. After taking an early lead in the third inning, the Spikes' pitchers stunned the Bears' offense, limiting the team to one run.

The Spikes struck first early in the opening frame as Cameron Bufford put up an RBI-single that sent home lead-off hitter Austin Roccaforte.

After West Virginia put away the first two batters to start the third, Spikes' Cooper Hext reached base on walks. With a wild pitch and a throwing error on the same play to follow, Hext advanced to third. Sleeper's balk allowed the lone runner to advance home, placing the Spikes' lead at two.

The Bears scored their first run in the bottom of the inning after a single from Ryan Grabosch and the walk of Chris Einemann. A force-out from T.J. Williams put runners on the corners, with Kendal Ewell entering to deliver a deep base hit to score Grabosch and cut the deficit to one.

AJ Stinson replaced Sleeper to begin the fourth inning, retiring the side with two well-played flyouts to Ewell and a strikeout. As the Bears returned to the plate, Morales retired the heart of the order, recording two more punchouts in the process.

After the Bears' defense stranded a runner at second base to start the fifth inning, Morales went on to strike out the side to preserve the Spikes' lead.

Will Carsten made his home debut to begin the seventh inning. After retiring the first two hitters with lineouts, two base hits put Spikes at each corner. Dayne Leonard prevented additional runs by catching Roccaforte stealing second base.

The seventh inning went by without incident as Morales retired the Bears in order, adding another strikeout to finish his outing with ten.

Noah Manning relieved Carsten entering the eighth inning, retiring the side with two strikeouts and a groundout to O'Dowd at first. The Bears attempted a rally in the bottom of the inning with a two-out single from Williams. A stolen base put the Bears in scoring position, but Palumbo's first strikeout stranded Williams at second.

Closer Conner Mackay replaced Manning to finish the game with a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two to give the Black Bears a fighting chance in the bottom of the ninth.

Entering the home half of the final inning, two consecutive hit-by-pitches allowed put the go-ahead run on base with two outs. However, the game ended with a pop fly fielded by Caleb Hill.

The Bears tallied only three hits on Friday night, with Grabosch, Williams and Ewell recording one each. Kendal Ewell drove in the only West Virginia run in the loss, finishing his evening with a hit, a run and a walk.

Jordan Morales dominated in his seven-inning start. The former Purdue Boilermaker allowed just two hits with 10 strikeouts in the game.

West Virginia is back home on Saturday night for the second matchup against the State College Spikes at Kendrick Family Ballpark. First pitch for Mothman Night is slated for 7:00 p.m.

- WVBB -

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