GRANVILLE, WV – The Frederick Keys dropped the series finale in game two of the series against the West Virginia Black Bears, falling by a score of 11-3 at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
The Black Bears scored eight runs in the bottom of the second inning and led for the rest of the night in the series finale, as Frederick looks ahead to their final regular season road series beginning Sunday night against the State College Spikes.
The Black Bears got the game’s first run in the bottom of the first on an RBI sacrifice fly, but the Keys came right back in the top of the second with a three-run frame courtesy of an RBI single from Jamal Ritter (Norfolk St) and a two-run home run from Bronson Rivera (Hawai’i Pacific).
However, West Virginia responded in the bottom of the second with an eight-run frame, taking a 9-3 lead heading into the third in the series finale.
After both sides traded zeros in the third inning of play, the Black Bears added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, bringing their lead up to eight at 11-3 approaching the fifth at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
Ian Cooke (Connecticut) recorded a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth in relief to keep the Black Bears, as Frederick entered the sixth down 11-3 looking for a late rally Saturday night on the road.
Following the Keys and Black Bears going off the board in the sixth, Randy Reyes (Grambling State) picked up a scoreless bottom of the seventh on the hill, taking the ballgame into the eighth with West Virginia still leading 11-3.
With both teams going scoreless in the eighth, the Keys went off the board in the ninth in 1-2-3 fashion, as they fell to the Black Bears in the series finale by a score of 11-3 Saturday night.
The Keys continue their eight-game road trip Sunday afternoon against the State College Spikes for the final regular season road series of the season. First pitch for game one is set for 6:35 p.m. from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
