Frederick, MD– A late seventh inning rally was not enough for the Keys to overcome an early deficit on Tuesday, as they fell to the West Virginia Black Bears, 5-3. The loss sets up a rubber match between the two teams on Thursday.
Dalton Ponce worked out of trouble on a couple of occasions, stranding runners in scoring position in the first and third innings.
In the fourth, however, West Virginia was finally able to get to him. Anthony Hansen led off the top of the fourth inning with a solo shot to right field. After a passed ball allowed Bobby Lada to score, Tyner Hughes got his first hit of the season in a big way. A towering fly ball to left field stayed fair and cleared the wall, capping off a four-run inning for the Black Bears.
Andres Ugarte added insurance with a single in the sixth inning.
The Keys offense finally came alive with one out in the seventh inning. After having just three hits to that point, a Logan Thomason walk was followed by a two-run blast from Andrew Papantonis, who finished his day with three hits. After Alec Sanchez singled with two outs, he was driven in on a Trenton Jamison double, making it 5-3.
The Keys got the leadoff man on in the eighth on a Taylor Smith single, but Carson Lambert struck out the next three hitters in order to escape scoreless. Brady Choban pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to lock down the save and even the series.
The two teams will square off in a rubber match on Thursday at 12 PM on Super Splash Day at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Notes:
- Joe Sprake struck out the side in order in the top of the ninth
- Alec Sanchez and Taylor Smith both had two hit nights in addition a three-hit outing from Papantonis
