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NYPL West Virginia Black Bears

West Virginia Drops Three Game Series against Auburn

June 26, 2018 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


GAME 1

Coming in on a five-game winning streak, the West Virginia Black Bears lost the first half of a Sunday doubleheader against the Auburn Doubledays 4-0.

According to Minor League Baseball rules, both contests were only seven innings long, as the teams postponed the Saturday game because of bad weather.

In the first game, P Alex Manasa got the start for West Virginia. The righty was dominant through his first five innings of work, keeping the score at 0-0 through five innings.

Then in the sixth inning, Auburn found four runs on a trio of singles, ending Manasa's day after 5.1 innings and eight hits.

After swinging a slew of hot bats over the past five games, the Black Bears got unexpectedly cold at the plate. The team pulled together three hits and three walks in the seven-inning game, but couldn't bring a runner home.

Looking to rebound off the team's first loss in nearly a week, the team prepared for the second game of the doubleheader later that evening.

GAME 2

In a highly contested ballgame, the West Virginia Black Bears fell in a close contest with the Auburn Doubledays 3-2.

West Virginia found some more offense in this game, racking up five hits through seven innings compared to Auburn's four hits.

Even so, it was the Doubledays that got on the board first. An RBI single and a passed ball in the first inning put the Black Bears down in an early 2-0 hole.

The visitors responded right away with two runs of their own. After West Virginia loaded the bases, a walk to LF Felix Vinicio brought cut the deficit in half.

CF Michael de la Cruz followed his teammate with an RBI sac-fly in the same inning to tie the game at 2-2.

Then in the bottom of the second inning, Auburn got the break it needed. A fielding error brought home the team's third run, giving them a one-run advantage.

The Black Bears bullpen had another solid outing to keep the game close. P Nicholas Economos threw four innings in relief, striking out three batters and relinquishing only the unearned run in the bottom of the second.

P Cameron Alldred also pitched well, going through the sixth inning without allowing a runner on base, as his team struggled to find run support.

In the seventh inning, C Zac Susi hit a single to incite a late rally. After a walk to LF Felix Vinicio and a fielder's choice, West Virginia had runners on the corners with two outs.

Unfortunately, Auburn worked out of the jam with a foul-tip strikeout to end the threat. After a long day of baseball, both teams got some rest and prepared for the third game the following day.

GAME 3

In the final game of the road series in New York, the West Virginia Black Bears were defeated by the Auburn Doubledays 9-3.

Once again Auburn struck early against the Black Bears. A long inning of work for West Virginia pitchers in the third inning brought six runs across to give the Doubledays a 6-0 lead.

As the Black Bears struggled once again to find runs, the bright spot in the game came from 1B Eric Wood. In an attempt to steal third base, prospect on a rehab assignment came around to score on a throwing error by the Doubledays' catcher.

Auburn responded with a two-run home run the following inning, but in the top of the sixth, Wood matched it with a two-run shot of his own to bring the score to 8-3.

Normally a player for the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis, Wood finished the day hitting 1-3 with two RBIs and a walk.

CF Travis Swaggerty and RF Brett Kinneman each had nice outings of their own, with two hits apiece to round out the team's total of five hits in the game.

The Doubledays got their final run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI groundout to bring the score to 9-3.

After a day off, West Virginia comes back to Monongalia County Ballpark on Thursday for a three-game series with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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