NYPL West Virginia Black Bears

West Virginia Snaps Back in Series Opener

July 18, 2019 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


Granville, WV - The West Virginia Black Bears battled back against the State College Spikes in a rain-lengthened ballgame to record a 4-1 win at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Despite multiple threats of rain in the region, the Black Bears persisted through the elements to snap their three-game losing streak. West Virginia started their game against State College down 1-0, as State College began the game with a lead-off double in the top of the first, followed by a single and an RBI triple. But the Bears quelled the attack to make it out of the first with minimal damage.

The following innings were quiet for the West Virginia offense, but the defense, led by RHP Michael Burrows, kept the Spikes pinned. State College had seven hits in the first four innings, but were limited to that early run allowed in the top of the first. Burrows was relieved by RHP Cameron Junker who closed the fourth with a strikeout.

The fifth put some Bears in the bush as C Kyle Wilkie was walked then brought home off an RBI single in the gap from 2B Cory Wood. DH Black Sabol followed suit and was brought home on a balk that gave West Virginia a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth.

"In that two-run inning you got a chance to see us put some stuff together," said Black Bears manager, Drew Saylor. "After an off-day and a series like we had in Brooklyn, it was nice to see our guys stay in the present and continue to grind."

The Black Bears persevered and held their lead. Junker landed in his groove in the sixth and pitched a three-up three-down inning against the bottom three of the Spikes' lineup. RHP Garrett Leonard took the mound in the seventh and pitched a 1-2-3 frame. In the home-half, Sabol hit a stand-up double and was brought home by an RBI single from RF Matt Fraizer to extend the lead to 3-1. Leonard came back and pitched another 1-2-3 in the eighth.

West Virginia, who in the fourth had only one hit compared to State College's seven, boasted nine hits in the eighth and allowed the Spikes just one hit in four innings. The ninth hit for the Black Bears came from LF Matt Gorski who then stole second, and off a throwing error, rounded third to home. The Black Bears won by a final score of 4-1.

"I peeked back from third and saw no one had the ball," said Gorski. "I actually ran through Drew's stop sign - probably shouldn't have done that - but being aggressive paid off."

After two rain delays in the latter-half of the game, the battled Black Bears closed out the series opener with an amazing catch by SS Ethan Paul and back-to-back strikeouts from Leonard.

West Virginia will continue its series against State College July 18 and 19, then hit the road for a series against the Auburn Doubledays.

For more information on upcoming games or promotions, visit www.westvirginiablackbears.com.

Check out the West Virginia Black Bears Statistics



New York-Penn League Stories from July 18, 2019


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