GRANVILLE, W.Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears won the first of three games against the Frederick Keys 8-5 at Kendrick Family Ballpark. Hot off a sweep of the Scrappers, the Black Bears tallied 12 hits in Friday night’s win with Ryan Grabosch and Kendal Ewell comprising half the total.

West Virginia wasted little time setting the pace as starter Eli Majick took the mound for the Bears. Majick posted three clean frames, allowing two hits through the third.

After going down in order through the second inning, the Black Bears struck first in the bottom of the third. Kendal Ewell picked up a lead-off base hit, but he was sent back to the dugout on a Chris Einemann ground ball fielded at second. Einemann made the jump to second to get into scoring position before heading home on an RBI double from Alex Vergara.

Majick’s night hit a snag in the fourth as the Keys advanced around the bags. A force out at second erased a runner, but the walk of Michael Campagna put two Keys on base. Right fielder Jeff Liquori caught a pop fly that put Brandon Hylton and Campagna on the corners, but an easy out at first thrown over by Kasten Furr ended Frederick’s threat.

The Keys continued to push back, tying the game in the fifth. Sam Ruta led off with a single that quickly became a run as Darryl Buggs tripled to bring Ruta home. The Bears defense picked up two successive outs, and the intentional walk of Fahr brought Hylton to the plate. Jack O’Dowd got the final out at first to keep the game tied at one.

West Virginia pulled ahead in the bottom of the inning. The Bears loaded the bases with three consecutive singles from Ewell, Ryan Grabosch and Einemann, before an injury delay paused the game. Resuming play, Furr slapped a single through the gap to bring in Ewell and Grabosch and take a 3-1 lead.

Majick got his second strikeout in the top of the sixth as West Virginia retired the side in order. Frederick reliever Beau Blanchard took the mound as the Bears returned to the plate. Walks of O’Dowd and Liquori put two on with one out, and a single from Grabosch scored them both. The Keys got out of the inning on a flyout to right field, but not before the Bears took a four-run lead.

Frederick rallied the next inning, loading the bases with reliever Will Carsten on the mound. His appearance was a short one as manager David Carpenter sent in Sayer Diederich after 0.1 innings pitched. A single from Fahr scored Ruta and Buggs to cut the lead to two, and Campagna brought the Keys within one with an RBI single.

West Virginia responded with two runs in the seventh inning. After a walk of Vergara, O’Dowd reached on a fielding error as left fielder Tyeler Hawkins lost the ball, giving Vergara time to make it home. The next at-bat, O’Dowd followed suit on a single from third baseman Trace Willhoite.

Connor Mackay posted a hitless, scoreless frame in the top of the eighth, allowing the Black Bears to create some breathing room with a run in the bottom of the inning. Repeating their fifth inning success, Ewell, Grabosch and Einemann slapped back-to-back-to-back singles to the outfield to load the bases. A sacrifice fly brought in Ewell, though the Keys ended the frame on a double play.

Frederick made a final rally in the ninth with closer Jackson Kirkpatrick on the mound. Kirkpatrick started the inning by hitting Hawkings with a pitch before giving up a single to Tremayne Cobb Jr. The defense turned two outs, but Hawkins scored on an error during an attempted double play. Campagna drew his second walk and Elijah Dickerson singled into shallow left field, juicing the bases. But with a full count and the crowd rooting him on, Kirkpatrick struck out Holt to give West Virginia the win.

West Virginia continues its hot streak with its fourth straight win. Ryan Grabosch led the team with three hits in his four at-bats. The Morehead State catcher drove in two runs on his line-drive single in the fifth inning. Kendal Ewell followed, going three-for-four with two runs, while Kasten Furr recorded three RBI including the final run of the game.

The Black Bears return to The Ken for the second game of the series with the Keys on Saturday evening for Teacher Appreciation Night presented by Breezeline Internet. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.