GRANVILLE, W.Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears secured their sixth straight win, soundly defeating the State College Spikes 8-0 at Kendrick Family Ballpark on Wednesday night. After walking off the Spikes on Tuesday evening, the Bears’ offense picked up where it left off, erupting for seven hits, four stolen bases, and nine walks. The West Virginia bullpen shut out State College with a combined nine strikeouts.
Gavin Braunecker took the mound for the Black Bears to start the game. After recording two strikeouts in the first, Cameron LeJeune entered for Braunecker in the second. LeJeune threw three scoreless innings, retiring the side in order in the fourth.
West Virginia went to work in the second inning with three runs on three hits. Back-to-back doubles by Jace Rinehart and Alex Rodgers put the Bears up by one. On the second offering from former Utah Valley teammate Carston Herman, Landon Frei hit his first home run of the season – a two-run shot over the visiting bullpen – to put the Bears up by three.
After an empty third and fourth frame, the Black Bears extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth. A lead-off single by Judah Morris was followed by an Alex Ungar double, putting two runners in scoring position. A call to the Spikes’ bullpen sent Jack Hagan to the mound for Herman with no outs on the board. Following the leader, Will Rogers made it three straight hits with a single to right field that scored Morris and Ungar for a 5-0 lead.
Lefthanded pitcher Michael Foltz Jr. took over for LeJeune in the fifth, striking out three in his three-inning appearance. Foltz sat the Spikes down in order in all three frames, issuing one walk with no hits.
The Bears added three insurance runs late in the seventh to go ahead by eight. Reliever Anthony Steele walked Morris and Ungar, before giving up extra bases to Rinehart who drove them both in with an RBI double. Rinehart advanced to third on a balk, scoring the next at bat on a Rodgers groundout to first.
Joe Steeber sealed the win for West Virginia with a three up, three down, frame in the eighth and a quick ninth, ending his evening with two strikeouts.
In a solid showing from top to bottom, West Virginia batters struck out just five times, while the bullpen held State College to two hits with nine punchouts. Judah Morris led the Bears offense, going 1-1, with four walks and two runs. West Virginia native Jace Rinehart went 2-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs. Pitcher Cameron LeJeune kept his 0.00 ERA intact, picking up his third win in his three-inning appearance.
With the win, the Bears (19-6) extend their streak to six games and increase their lead at the top of the MLB Draft League standings (5.5 games ahead of Williamsport). The Black Bears return to Kendrick Family Ballpark on Thursday for the final game of the three-game series against the Spikes, looking to complete their second straight sweep. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
