NILES, OH – The West Virginia Black Bears began their season at Eastwood Field against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on MLB Draft League Opening Day on Thursday evening. Despite holding a lead through 3.5 innings, a series of walks and wild pitches in the seventh ultimately led to the Black Bears’ 7-4 loss.
The first strike came from Mahoning Valley in the top of the first as CF Prince DeBoskie scored on a groundout by DH Cole Conn. West Virginia’s defense recovered quickly and put away the final out to hold the Scrappers’ lead at 1-0.
A wild pitch in the top of the third inning plated SS Devyn Lopez for the first Black Bears run. After reaching on a walk and stealing second, Lopez advanced to third on a throwing error by Scrappers catcher Andreaus Lewis before scoring on the wild pitch by starter Elijah Pleasants. With 2B Maury Weaver on third, RF Nick Iannantone sent a line-drive to centerfield for his first RBI of the season. Heading into the home-half of the inning, West Virginia led 2-1.
Iannantone picked up his second RBI of the evening with a single that scored CF Tré Hondras in the top of the fifth to put the Bears up by two. However, a double from Mahoning Valley 1B Brandon Hylton in the bottom of the inning scored RF Ny’Zaiah Thompson to cut the lead to 3-2.
The Black Bears stayed ahead of the Scrappers through the top of the seventh, re-taking a two-run lead as Hondras scored on a throwing error by 2B JR Bedford. But the wheels started to fall off for West Virginia in the bottom of the inning as LHP John Bakke struggled to retire the Mahoning Valley order. After walking Thompson, a wild pitch advanced him into scoring position. The defense responded with two quick outs before another wild pitch and an intentional walk put Scrappers on the corners. Lewis doubled into centerfield to score Thompson and cut the deficit to one run.
Mahoning Valley took the lead on a single from SS Dante Leach, sending West Virginia manager David Carpenter into his bullpen for relief. Carter Rees, a right-handed pitcher from Rushylvania, Ohio, took the mound for Bakke with two outs and a runner in scoring position. Two more wild pitches gave the Scrappers the insurance runs they needed, and they ended the seventh inning ahead by three.
Though West Virginia threatened to score in the ninth with two outs and the tying run at the plate, Mahoning Valley persevered to win by a final score of 7-4.
Despite the loss, the Black Bears defense was highly efficient through eight innings, racking up 14 strikeouts – seven of which came from RHP Aaric McAtee. The Florida Southern graduate struck out seven consecutive batters in 3.0 innings pitched, retiring the side in the second and third innings. Behind the plate, catcher Justin Fogel caught two Scrappers stealing in the sixth inning, aiding the Bears in holding their lead through the top of the seventh.
On a day of low offensive numbers (a team total of five hits and two RBI), Tré Hondras and Nick Iannantone shined for the Black Bears. A redshirt-sophomore and Marshall University commit, Hondras led the team with two runs, two hits and a .667 BA. Iannantone, a junior from East Tennessee State, was responsible for both Black Bears’ RBI and two of the five hits.
The Black Bears return to Eastwood Field for game two of the four-game series on Friday evening. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
