NYPL West Virginia Black Bears

WV Black Bears Take 2 of 3 against Batavia Muckdogs

June 20, 2018 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


GAME 1

Continuing a six-game road trip to begin the 2018 season, the West Virginia Black Bears took a loss to the Batavia Muckdogs 9-6.

After the Muckdogs opened the game with three runs in the first inning, West Virginia got two back in the second. A pair of RBI singles from SS Robbie Glendinning and C Zac Susi made the score 3-2 in the early going.

Batavia wasted no time in response, scoring three more runs on three hits to bring the lead to 6-2

3B Nick Valaika hit an RBI double in the fifth inning to cut into the Muckdog lead. After a balk brought in another run, the visiting Black Bears brought the score to 6-4.

Once again, the home team was quick to retaliate. A 2-run homer from Michael Donadio increased Batavia's advantage, and after a throwing error in the sixth inning, the score ballooned to 9-4.

In the seventh inning, RF Brett Kinneman attempted to spur a West Virginia comeback with a two-RBI double. In his first professional three games, the 2018 seventh round draft pick has totaled a team-high six RBIs.

Unable to put runs on the board in the final two innings, the Black Bears fall to 0-4 on the young season.

GAME 2

Garnering their first win of the season, the Black Bears held on down the stretch as the team defeated the Batavia Muckdogs. 7-6.

West Virginia opened up the scoring in the second inning with a solo homerun from 1B Jhoan Herrera. Then in the third, an RBI double from RF Edison Lantigua, a single from DH Luke Mangieri, a towering double from Herrera brought the game to 4-0.

The Muckdogs struggled in the early innings to produce and type of offense, due in large part to starting pitcher Zach Spears. In his first professional start, the Pirates eighth round draft pick put together three innings of one-hit baseball to maintain the West Virginia lead.

In the top of the fifth inning, SS Robbie Glendinning's grounder down the third base line brought home the game's fifth run.

Batavia finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth with three runs on three hits, a sac fly, and a passed ball to cut the lead to 5-3.

Then in the seventh inning, Herrera gave the Black Bears a pair of insurance runs on a two-run double to right field. The first baseman had himself a day, going 3-3 from the plate with a homerun, three RBIs and a walk.

LF Felix Vinicio added a sac-fly in the eighth inning to put West Virginia up 7-3, needing only six outs to get the team's first win of 2018.

The Muckdogs mustered together three runs and loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth. With the pressure mounting, P Logan Stoelke secured the save with a big strikeout to give the Black Bears (1-4) the first win of the season.

GAME 3

Behind a pair of arms and one big time performance at the plate, the Black Bears defeated the Batavia Muckdogs 4-3.

The win gave West Virginia the 2-1 series victory, the first one of the season.

The Black Bears began the scoring in the third inning, as LF Edison Lantigua hit a single that brought in two runs. After a throwing error on the play, another baserunner crossed home plate, giving the team an early 3-0 lead.

Lantigua continued to be the only source of scoring for West Virginia, hitting another single into right field that brought home another run. The left fielder finished the day hitting 2-4 with three RBIs.

On the mound, starting pitcher Alex Manasa had another impressive outing. Through six innings, the righty didn't allow a run and only gave up three hits, holding the Muckdogs at bay.

Then in the bottom of the seventh, Batavia crushed a three-run homerun off a Black Bears reliever to put the game at 4-3.

Despite cutting the game close, the Muckdogs couldn't come up with any runs in the last two innings. After P Miguel Hernandez closed out the victory down the stretch, Manasa picked up the win after 6.1 innings of work, allowing only four hits and two earned runs to go with four strikeouts and three walks.

The Black Bears are back in action for the team's home opener tomorrow against the State College Spikes. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Check out the West Virginia Black Bears Statistics



New York-Penn League Stories from June 20, 2018


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