MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

Bears Snag Series Opener against Thunder on West Virginia Day

June 20, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


GRANVILLE, W.Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears took the first game of a four-game series versus the Trenton Thunder 5-2 at Kendrick Family Ballpark on Thursday evening. After a messy sixth inning resulted in three errors for the Thunder, the Bears scored four unanswered runs to secure the win on West Virginia Day at the park.

The first three innings started scoreless with quick defensive performances from both teams. Bears' starter Cory Ronan put away three batters in the second with a strikeout and a groundout that resulted in a double play.

Trenton ended the scoring drought in the fourth inning. With Nathan Archer in scoring position, Rintaro Sasaki doubled deep to center field to plate Archer. Osoria ended the inning with a flashy pass on a groundout from third base, but not before Trenton took a 1-0 lead.

In the sixth inning, the momentum began to shift in the Black Bears' favor. Though Thunder starter Miles Langhorne had not surrendered a hit through the first five innings, a line-drive single to left field put Brody Black on first. With Rogers on base after a hit-by-pitch, Langhorne was pulled for reliever Ethan Bradford. With two runners on base and Jack O'Dowd at the plate, Trenton allowed the first Bears' run of the game on an error. As O'Dowd grounded to first, Trenton first baseman A.J. Vigliotti bobbled the ball, giving Rogers time to push past third and reach home to tie the game.

A second error on a deep hit to right field by first baseman Roman Kuntz gave Black the push to round third and reach home, taking the lead with two on and one out. Catcher Joey Spence picked up a double that ended up scoring O'Dowd and Kuntz after Trenton third baseman Rylan Zaborowski recorded the third error of the inning. Heading into the seventh, West Virginia led 4-1.

Coy Angel returned at the top of the seventh to put away two batters on a groundout and a clutch flyout. When two consecutive walks filled first and second base with Trenton runners, Angel battled back to record a strikeout and end the inning.

Storm Hierholzer took the mound for the Bears at the top of the eighth. A single from Archer gave Thunder's Britton Beeson two bases to reach third following a hit-by-pitch. Beeson came home after Sasaki reached on a Bears' error to cut the deficit to three.

Trenton threatened a comeback in the ninth. Bears' reliever Victor Quinn came in to close, quickly picking up the first out on a ground ball chopped to shortstop Ben Bikar Jr. After walking one, the Thunder advanced two runners into scoring position on a wild pitch, an error and a stolen base. Determined to finish the inning, Quinn dialed in to toss a strikeout for his first save of the season.

In the 5-2 victory, Brody Black, the outfielder from Coppin State, led the Bears with one hit and one RBI. Coy Angel recorded the win with two innings of work, while starter Cory Ronan led the Bears with four strikeouts through four frames. For Trenton, Rintaro Sasaki led the team with two hits while Nathan Archer notched two RBI.

West Virginia returns to Kendrick Family Ballpark on Friday for the second game of the series against Trenton on Lou Gehrig Day, presented by Mountaineer Home Medical. First pitch for the game is set for 7:00 p.m. with post-game fireworks to follow. For more information, please visit www.WestVirginiaBlackBears.com.

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