Sports stats

NYPL West Virginia Black Bears

State College Steals the Series

July 28, 2019 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Two low-scoring games cost the Black Bears the series in State College over the weekend, as West Virginia's offense failed to find its rhythm in Friday and Saturday's losses to the Spikes. But the Bears bounced back in the finale of the three-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park and finished strong with a 5-2 win Sunday night.

Game One

The Black Bears found themselves in an offensive stalemate with the Spikes for the first six innings of a low-scoring affair that ended with a West Virginia loss in game one of the series.

While the Bears offense fought to score a run, starting pitcher Jesus Valles held off the Spikes attack through the first six innings of the game. Valles allowed only seven hits through six with one walk and three strike outs. West Virginia's defense followed suit to keep State College scoreless through six and two-thirds innings.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Black Bears' offense showed signs of life after singles by 3B Dean Lockery and LF Matt Gorski and a groundout to first by RF Matt Fraizer put two men in scoring position with two outs. An RBI single to right field from 1B Will Matthiessen scored Lockery, and the Black Bears took a 1-0 lead.

The remaining innings would be dominated by the Spikes, as the Bears notched just one more hit over the next three innings. During the seventh inning, the Spikes tied the game with a walk off RHP Alec Rennard (0-3) who took the mound to begin the home half of the seventh inning. Rennard threw a scoreless eighth but allowed the winning run on an RBI single that scored State College in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The walk-off win handed the Black Bears their 18th loss of the season by a score of 2-1.

Game Two

Pitching would dictate the pace of the second game of the series, as the Spikes pitchers held the Black Bears offense to one run and would win the game by a final score of 4-1.

In his first start of the season, RHP Austin Roberts (0-1) hit the mound with a strong start as he managed to hold the Spikes to just two hits in his first three innings. After he gave up two runs in the bottom of the fourth, including a walk that scored Carlos Soto, RHP Denny Roman relieved Roberts with one out on the board. Roman ended the inning with no further damage after a strike out and a fly out to LF Matt Gorski, and the Black Bears ended the inning down 2-0.

For seven innings, the Black Bears offense struggled against Spikes starting pitcher Scott Politz, and they recorded only two hits through the first five. West Virginia's only run of the night came in the top of the sixth when 1B Nick Patten scored off a hard, line drive hit into center field by CF Blake Sabol.

Roman continued to hold the State College offense at bay, as he allowed only four hits and no earned runs through the seventh inning. However, a two-run homerun from the Spikes off RHP Garrett Leonard in the bottom of the eighth padded their lead, and the Black Bears exited the inning trailing State College by three.

The Spikes pitching closed out the ninth inning quickly to beat the Black Bears 4-1.

Game Three

After two long nights of offensive woes, the Black Bears came out swinging in the series finale. West Virginia ended the night with a 5-2 win to avoid the sweep at State College.

The Black Bears wasted no time in game three as the heart of the order gave the visiting team an early lead in the top of the first inning. LF Matt Gorski struck first when he sent a ball deep into left center field for a homerun that also scored CF Blake Sabol. The two-run homerun put the Black Bears up 2-0 going into the home half of the inning.

But State College answered in the bottom of the second with a two-run homerun of its own that sailed over the wall in right center field. RHP Bear Bellomy - in his first start for West Virginia - regrouped to finish the inning, and the Black Bears entered the third tied 2-2.

West Virginia recaptured the lead the very next inning when 3B Jared Triolo crushed a hard, line drive to center field that scored SS Cory Wood and gave Triolo his 22nd RBI of the season. A sac-fly from Sabol scored Triolo from third to put the Black Bears up 4-2.

The Bears continued their attack through the fifth inning. C Kyle Wilkie added another insurance run off a line drive that scored Wood and extended the lead 5-2.

Although Bellomy allowed the two-run homer that tied the game in the second, he held the Spikes offense to only four hits over four innings. He was relieved by RHP Xavier Concepcion (2-0) who threw three scoreless innings, while RHP Cameron Junker closed the game with three straight strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth.

After a day off on Monday, the Black Bears return to Monongalia County Ballpark to take on the Staten Island Yankees in a three-game series that begins Tuesday, July 30. Tuesday also features Tyler's Amazing Balancing Act, the most booked halftime entertainment act in universities and colleges nationwide. For more information, visit www.westvirginiablackbears.com.

Check out the West Virginia Black Bears Statistics



New York-Penn League Stories from July 28, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent West Virginia Black Bears Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central