Black Bears Drop Rubber Match to IronBirds 7-2
MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

Black Bears Drop Rubber Match to IronBirds 7-2

Published on June 25, 2026 under Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


ABERDEEN, Md. - The West Virginia Black Bears were unable to hold an early lead as the Aberdeen IronBirds scored seven unanswered runs to claim a 7-2 victory in the series finale.

West Virginia wasted little time getting on the board in the opening inning. After Owen Henne walked and Kahanu Martinez reached on a single, Jose Fernandez drove in the game's first run with an RBI groundout, scoring Henne. Later in the inning, Ben Barrett lined an RBI single into the infield to plate Martinez and give the Black Bears a 2-0 advantage.

The IronBirds answered in the third inning, cutting the deficit to one on an RBI double from Collin Priest. Aberdeen evened the score in the fifth before taking control in the sixth.

The IronBirds capitalized on free passes and timely hitting in the sixth, scoring five runs to build a 7-2 lead. Chase Williams drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before JT Taylor added an RBI walk as Aberdeen's offense broke the game open.

West Virginia threatened late, putting runners aboard in both the seventh and eighth innings. Derrick Tarpley Jr. and Beau Sylvester each collected hits in the eighth, but the Black Bears were unable to bring a run across as the IronBirds closed out the victory.

The Black Bears recorded five hits on the afternoon, with Martinez, Barrett, Sylvester, and Tarpley Jr. accounting for four of them. On the mound, Victor Christal struck out four over the first three innings before the bullpen combined for five additional strikeouts.

West Virginia will look to bounce back as it begins its next homestand on Friday, June 26, against the Trenton Thunder at Kendrick Family Ballpark. Highlights of the weekend series include a 2016-themed Friday Night Fireworks, Saturday's Bark in the Park, and Kids Splash Day on Sunday afternoon.

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Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from June 25, 2026


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