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MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

Liquori Grand Slam Is Too Little, Too Late in 5-4 Loss to Scrappers

July 31, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


NILES, OH - The West Virginia Black Bears lost the final game of the three-game series to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Eastwood Field Wednesday evening. After seven blank innings, Jeff Liquori tied the game with a grand slam in the eighth, but the Scrappers re-took the lead with its own home run by T.J. McKenzie to win 5-4.

The rubber match began as the previous two - with a scoreless frame. The Bears went down in order for the first half-inning, sending out starting pitcher Christian Womble. After allowing a single, Womble and the defense picked up a pair of outs on a 6-4-3 double play. A force out at second by Connor McGuire capped the first inning.

West Virginia got within scoring range in the second and third innings but could not get a run. A lead-off walk in the second put Trace Willhoite on base, while Jeff Liquori continued his series' hit streak with a single to advance Willhoite to second. A ground out just past first moved both runners into scoring position, but the momentum came to a halt with the strikeout of designated hitter Ryan Grabosch. In the third, Connor McGuire picked up a hit and made it 90-feet shy of a run, but the inning ended on a pop fly by Alex Vergara.

Things appeared to be looking up for the Bears in the fourth inning, as catcher Dayne Leonard recorded a single. J.T. Marr smashed a double deep to left, sending Leonard racing around the bags, but a strong throw from left fielder Dreylin Holmes caught Leonard at the plate.

The Scrappers struck first with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Chang-Yong Lee reached first on a fielding error by shortstop Kasten Furr before a double off the bat of Drew Holderbach put two Scrappers on base. Second baseman Zach Ketterman popped a fly ball to center that dropped for a base hit, scoring Lee and Holderbach for a two-run lead.

Two more scoreless innings followed as the Bears struggled to gain the upper hand. A Grabosch single in the fifth was erased on a double play, while West Virginia stranded Furr on third on a strikeout in the sixth. Womble managed to hold the Mahoning Valley bats at bay, striking out four through two innings.

However, the Scrappers padded their lead with two runs in the seventh. With two outs on the board, manager David Carpenter sent in Conner Mackay after a hit from Holmes put a runner on second. Three consecutive singles scored two more, bringing in Holmes and Kota Suzuki. Mackay ended the inning with a strikeout but heading into the eighth, the Bears trailed by four.

West Virginia came back with force in the eighth to tie the game. Kendal Ewell led off with a walk as back-to-back singles from Furr and Vergara loaded the bases. Then on the second offering from reliever A.J. Riddle, Liquori sent a ball deep to right-center field that breached the wall for a grand slam.

But Mahoning Valley responded with a home run of its own in the bottom of the inning as T.J. McKenzie picked up his first long ball of the season.

The Black Bears attempted one final rally in the top of the ninth, but they could not make up the difference, ending the game down by one.

Despite the loss, starter Christian Womble (4.40 ERA) made another strong showing in his 6.2 innings pitched. Womble allowed nine hits, but struck out seven, holding the Mahoning Valley lead to two until the seventh. Right fielder Jeff Liquori left no doubt in Wednesday's game with a 417-foot grand slam in the eighth. Liquori, who had a hit every game this series and leads the league in RBI (38) on the season, finished the night with two hits, a run and four RBI.

West Virginia returns to Kendrick Family Ballpark for a two-game series against the Williamsport Crosscutters beginning Thursday evening. First pitch for the Thirsty Thursday™ game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. For more information, please visit www.WestVirginiaBlackBears.com.

- WVBB -

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