GRANVILLE, W. Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears defeated Team Mexico 10-0 Friday night at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
Tazwell Butler set the tone for the Bears, retiring the side in order. The Bears earned a single from Walker Barron in the opening inning, but Mexico’s defense kept them off the board.
West Virginia struck first in the bottom of the third. A lead-off triple from Ty Dalley followed by a Kahanu Martinez single gave the Black Bears a 1-0 lead.
After several scoreless innings, the Bears broke the game open in the sixth. Team Mexico made a pitching change, replacing Jesus Rodriguez with Jose Montijo. Ben Barrett led off the inning with a double, and an Isaac Wachsmann single put runners on the corners. A single from Beau Sylvester brought home Barrett. Martinez extended the lead with a two-out RBI that plated Wachsmann and Sylvester. Owen Henne followed soon after with another two-out RBI, plating Martinez and giving the Black Bears a 5-0 advantage.
West Virginia doubled its lead in the seventh. Another pitching change from Mexico brought in reliever Hendrick Briones, but two wild pitches allowed Jose Fernandez to score. With the bases loaded, the Bears made an offensive substitution, replacing Sam Miller with pinch-hitter Luke Matthews. Matthews delivered an inside-the-park grand slam, scoring Dylan Schlaegel, Martinez and Henne to extend the lead to 10-0.
Team Mexico showed signs of life in the final innings, but the Black Bears’ defense remained strong, securing the 10-0 shutout victory.
Butler was the standout on the mound, pitching five scoreless innings while recording nine strikeouts. The right-hander struck out the final six batters he faced. Martinez also had a strong night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
The Black Bears return to Kendrick Family Ballpark for game two of the International Series on Saturday evening for West Virginia Day. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
