The Scrappers offense was in a giving mood on Christmas in July night, gifting their offense 10 runs to secure a series sweep over the West Virginia Black Bears 10-5.
Both teams plated first inning runs. Elijah Cook hit a one out solo homer to give his team a 1-0 lead. That lead would prove to be short lived, as Zion Williams hit a first inning home run of his own, but he would do so with a runner on base to put the Scrappers up 2-0.
Mahoning Valley would get two more in the second inning on a Maddox Mihalakis RBI single and a Cooper Vance sacrifice fly, making it 4-1.
West Virginia got one back in the third on a Zach Thompson RBI single, but the Scrappers would respond with three of their own in the bottom half of the inning, when Mihalakis hit a three run blast to right field, his second consecutive game with a homer, making it 7-5 through three.
The Black Bears made things interesting in the fourth, plating three runs to cut the deficit to 7-5. A Jaden Hylton RBI single in the bottom half of the inning made it 8-5, and that's when both offenses would hit a snag against each other’s bullpens.
Black Lobell got the start for the Scrappers, going five innings and allowing five runs, but would get the win thanks to the cushion his offense provided. He’s the third straight starting pitcher to qualify for the winning decision, now joining Alex Kanipe and Alexander Llinas.
The Scrappers got a couple more in the sixth on a Hylton RBI double and a Vance RBI single.
Nathan Norwood threw three scoreless innings out of the bullpen, and Blake Barker would get the final three outs in the ninth to shut the door and break out the brooms.
The Scrappers will head to State College for a three game series against the first place Spikes beginning Sunday, July 26.
