NYPL West Virginia Black Bears

Muckdogs Best Black Bears in Batavia

July 3, 2018 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


In the first game of a road series in Batavia, the West Virginia Black Bears were defeated by the Muckdogs by a score of 8-4.

Batavia opened the game by putting together four runs through the first four innings. While P Osvaldo Bido struggled early, the righty put it back together in the fifth and sixth inning, throwing a pair of scoreless frames.

Then in the top of the seventh, West Virginia cut into the Muckdogs' lead. After 2B Robbie Glendinning and DH Felix Vinicio reached base on a single and a fielding error, RF Michael de la Cruz crushed a three-run homer to centerfield to put the score at 4-3.

P Cody Smith followed up with two innings of scoreless work in relief for the Black Bears, giving up one hit while striking out two batters and walking one.

West Virginia came back to tie the game in the top of the ninth inning. 3B Nick Valaika's solo home run to left field knotted the game up at 4-4.

With three outs to go to force extra innings, the Black Bears were at the receiving end of a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth. A grand slam from Batavia centerfielder Brayan Hernandez gave the Muckdogs the win in the first game of the series.

GAME 2

Rebounding from game one, the West Virginia Black Bears came back to even the series at one apiece with a 3-1 win over the Batavia Muckdogs.

Batavia got things rolling in the bottom of the first inning, as an RBI-double put the Muckdogs ahead 1-0 in the early going.

With an early deficit, P Francis del Orbe came into the game in the third inning for the Black Bears and dominated opposing hitters. The righty pitched four scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while striking out three batters.

While Del Orbe was mowing down Batavia batters, West Virginia came back with three runs in the top of the fourth. An RBI groundout from 1B Luke Mangieri, a double from 2B Robbie Glendinning, and a single from SS Connor Kaiser put the Black Bears up 3-1.

P Juan Henriquez followed up for West Virginia with two scoreless innings to head to preserve the lead.

Heading into the bottom of the ninth, P Conner Loeprich secured the save by striking out the side, bringing both teams to the rubber match in the third game.

GAME 3

In the final game of the away series, the West Virginia Black Bears fell to the Batavia Muckdogs 5-4.

After allowing an early run to make the score 1-0 in the first inning, P Aaron Shortridge had a nice start for the Black Bears. The righty threw five innings of three hit baseball, striking out three batters and walking one.

In the meantime, West Virginia took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. A Muckdog fielding error allowed the Black Bears to even the score at 1-1, but an RBI groundout from 1B Luke Mangieri and a two-run single from RF Brett Kinneman put the visiting team up 4-1.

Once Shortridge's day ended, Batavia came rushing back to make the game close. An RBI single in the sixth inning, another in the seventh put the score at 4-3.

Then in the bottom of the ninth, the Muckdogs walked-off again. After tying the game at 4-4, another RBI single gave Batavia the game winning run and the series win.

The Black Bears begin a six-game home stand with a three-game series with the Williamsport Crosscutters. First pitch for tomorrow night's Fourth of July game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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New York-Penn League Stories from July 3, 2018


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