MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

Black Bears Take the Series with 7-5 Win over the Keys

Published on July 24, 2022 under Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


FREDERICK, Md. - After last night's rain-shortened contest, the West Virginia Black Bears mounted a 7-5 win over the Frederick Keys to take the series on Sunday afternoon at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. With the win, the Bears have now won their last six series with the last series loss occurring at Williamsport on June 30.

West Virginia 1B Logan Mathieu got the visitors on the board in the top of the first inning with an impressive two-RBI home run down the right field line. Mathieu's homer - his second in his first three games as a Black Bear - scored DH Ryan Hernandez to give the Bears a two-run lead.

Frederick responded in the bottom half of the inning with a run of their own as C Robert Brooks singled to center field to bring home SS Evan Berkey.

The Black Bears offense continued to produce as RF Ruben Fontes hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring CF Maddux Houghton. The run coming in from third base restored West Virginia's two-run lead in the top of the third.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, however, the Keys tied the game, 3-3, courtesy of a two-RBI single into left field off the bat of Brooks. Brooks drove in 2B Henriadam Brower and Berkey for his second run.

Just a half inning later, West Virginia's Hernandez singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second courtesy of a balk. Mathieu was then hit by a pitch to get two runners on for 2B Jack Elliott. Elliott reached on a fielder's choice, and a wild pitch on ball four to 3B Tremaine Spears allowed Hernandez to score. Within minutes, Spears took off for second and the throw got away from both Frederick middle infielders. Mathieu scored to give the Black Bears another two-run lead.

The Black Bears snagged another run in the top of the seventh inning when Keys' reliever Brett Taucher threw a wild pitch that allowed West Virginia SS Anthony Stehlin time to cross home plate with ease. The Bears entered the eighth inning with a 6-3 lead.

Frederick attempted a comeback in the bottom of the eighth when 3B Ben Fitzgerald singled to score CF Amir Wright. Berkey then delivered an RBI single to score Fitzgerald and cut the score to 6-5.

The most important run of the game came in the top of the ninth when Houghton got a sacrifice bunt down on the infield. Frederick 1B Alex Baeza missed the throw from pitcher Jose Suero, sending the ball down the right field line. For the second time in as many innings, Stehlin scored to give the Bears the insurance run they needed heading into the home half of the inning.

Grayson Thurman was summoned out of the bullpen to close out the game for West Virginia. An infield groundball and a pair of flyouts sealed it for Thurman as he recorded his first save as a Black Bear.

With the first road series locked up, West Virginia heads to New Jersey to take on the Trenton Thunder for a three-game series starting Monday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from July 24, 2022


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