West Virginia Drops Game 3-2 to State College

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MLBDL West Virginia Black Bears

West Virginia Drops Game 3-2 to State College

August 10, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


GRANVILLE, W.Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears lost another close matchup to the State College Spikes 3-2 to drop the series on Saturday night at Kendrick Family Ballpark. A two-run rally in the sixth was not enough to overcome another early Spikes' lead.

Mirroring last night's win, lead-off hitters Austin Roccaforte and Cooper Hext got on board, with a sacrifice bunt from Parker Coddou to advance them into scoring position. A wild pitch from Bears' starter Eli Majick sent Roccaforte home. Cameron Bufford repeated Friday night's first inning success with an RBI-single to score Hext, taking an early two-run lead.

Two scoreless innings followed as Majick found his rhythm, putting away the Spikes in order to flip the second inning. At the plate, the Bears got two on with two out in the bottom half, but were stranded on a force out at second base. Majick kept the magic going, opening the third inning with two groundouts and a strikeout to retire the side. Chris Eineman stole second after leading off the home half with a base hit but was stranded as Hohenstein put away the next three, finishing with a punchout.

The Spikes struck again to start the fourth inning with four consecutive singles. Manny Jackson recorded an RBI as he drove in Bufford with runners on the corners. Caleb Hill loaded the bases for State College with no outs on the board. After a mound visit from manager David Carpenter, Majick laced a strikeout and converted a ground ball into a force out at the plate to prevent another run. With the bases still juiced, another strikeout from Majick capped the frame to end the Spikes' threat.

After retiring the first two hitters, Majick was relieved by Noah Manning who struck Bufford swinging to send the Bears back to the plate.

West Virginia's first score of the game came on a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth. A pitching substitution for the Spikes put Jackie Robinson at the mound with Jack O'Dowd at first base. Jeff Liquori entered, launching an RBI-double to the outfield wall to score O'Dowd. After a wild pitch allowed Liquori to steal third, Kasten Furr delivered an RBI-base hit to get Liquori home and cut the deficit to one.

Momentum began to shift in the seventh inning as the top of the order came to bat. T.J. Williams got on with a base hit, and Kendel Ewell's hit-by-pitch advanced Williams into scoring position. After Peter Ostensen relieved Caraway for the Spikes, the umpires called a strikeout double play with batter interference from O'Dowd. Ewell was caught stealing second to end the inning with the Black Bears still trailing by one run.

Sayer Diederich appeared in the eighth inning after taking over for Manning at the end of the last frame, going on to strike out two to sit down the top of the order.

With the Bears going down in order to finish the eighth, Jackson Kirkpatrick entered to close out the final inning. A force out and a 6-4-3 double play sent West Virginia back to the dish one last time.

However, in the bottom of the ninth, Ostensen proceeded to strike out the side for the save, giving State College the series win.

Jeff Liquori led the way for the Bears, going three-for-four at the plate to compile three of the Black Bears' eight hits and one RBI. Starter Eli Majick struck out six over 4.2 innings pitched, though he allowed all three State College runs. Noah Manning posted two strikeouts in each of his two inning appearances, and Sayer Diederich notched two punch outs in 1.1 frames.

Spikes' Nick Hohenstein was credited the win, leading the game with seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Peter Ostensen recorded the save with four strikeouts in three innings, including striking out the side in the ninth.

West Virginia returns Sunday for the final matchup of the season with the State College Spikes during the Meet and Greet with Bluey and Bingo, presented by WVU Medicine. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.

- WVBB -

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