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MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

Chlup's Walkoff Single Wins Series for the Black Bears

July 10, 2022 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


Niles, OH - The West Virginia Black Bears defeated the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in sudden death at Eastwood Field on Sunday afternoon to earn their 18th win of the season. Nine innings of baseball weren't enough to separate the Black Bears and the Scrappers this afternoon as the two teams finished the game tied 3-3. Czech Republic product Marek Chlup stepped up to the plate with a chance to be the hero and did just that as the Bears walked it off on the road to claim the game and the series over the Scrappers.

Mahoning Valley struck first in the bottom of the second inning when 1B Zach Dezeno singled to center field and later came around to score on a wild pitch from Black Bears starting pitcher Thomas Gross. That would be the lone run conceded by Gross in four innings of work.

West Virginia's offense tied up the game in the top of the fourth when 1B Ryan Hernandez hit a home run to right field off Mahoning Valley starting pitcher Will Geerdes. The home run for Hernandez was his fourth as a Black Bear and second in as many games at Eastwood Field.

The Black Bears offense struck for two more off Geerdes in the next inning as 2B Daunte Stuart got the inning started with a single; he advanced to second courtesy of a balk. Gehrig Anglin drove home Hernandez on with a single that deflected off Geerdes. Anglin took second base after a throwing error committed by Scrappers' shortstop Alex Ulloa. Anglin later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of CF Caeden Trenkle.

Mahoning Valley responded in the home half of the sixth inning with two runs on an RBI single from Dezenzo to center field that drove in 3B Zach Storbakken and DH Reed Chumley. Though West Virginia reliever Tommy Green limited the Scrappers in the inning, they ended the sixth tied 3-3.

Solid work out of the bullpen for West Virginia from right-handers Chase Smith, Austin Becker, and Trey Braithwaite slammed the door on Mahoning Valley's offense. Unfortunately for the Black Bears, the Scrappers bullpen reciprocated the zeroes on the scoreboard.

Heading into sudden death, Mahoning Valley manager Homer Bush chose to play defense and turned to reliever Xavier Fosbenner fresh out of the bullpen. Due to being the last batted out in the ninth, SS Blaze Brothers started the sudden death inning on first base.

Hernandez dropped a single into left field which advanced Brothers to third as the hit-and-run play was put on by manager Jedd Gyorko and the coaching staff. Savier Pinales came off the bench to pinch run for Hernandez and later stole second.

Hunter May worked a walk and loaded the bases for North Greenville University alum Marek Chlup. With the Scrappers' defense drawn in towards home plate with the goal of keeping the game alive, the Division II World Series champion delivered a game-winning single into left center field to send the Black Bears home victorious and winners of a series against Mahoning Valley for the first time this season.

The Black Bears enter the final week of the first half of the season tied with the Williamsport Crosscutters for first place in the MLB Draft League standings. The winner of the first half of the season will host the MLB Draft League Championship game on Tuesday, September 6.

West Virginia returns home for a six-game home stand Monday evening, beginning with a three-game series against the Trenton Thunder. First pitch for Monday's contest against the Thunder is set for 6:35 p.m.

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