GRANVILLE, W.Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears gave one of their strongest performances of the season at Monongalia County Ballpark on Monday night as they defeated the Williamsport Crosscutters, 13-4. Wearing specialty jerseys bearing the looming image of West Virginia legend Mothman, the Bears came off their road series sweep of the Frederick Keys with a 14-hit performance in the dominant win.
The Crosscutters scored first in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead, but that would prove to be the last Williamsport lead of the night. West Virginia started its assault with a lead-off single from LF Blaze Brothers to put the first Black Bears runner on base. Savier Pinales fought hard at the plate to load the bases later in the inning, and a Sam Crail double scored three to bring the score to 4-1. In his second at-bat of the inning, Brothers scored two runs on an outfield single, quickly followed by another two-RBI shot from 3B Gehrig Anglin to make things 8-1 heading to the top of the third.
Four innings of quick work from starting pitcher Thomas Gross kept the Black Bear lead safe, as a Hunter May sac-fly scored 1B Ryan McCoy to increase the lead to 9-1 heading into the top of the fifth.
The Crosscutters did their best to fight back in the fifth, scoring two more to set the score at 9-3. Tucker Shalley entered in relief, beginning a string of one-inning pitchers for the Black Bears. In the bottom of the inning, SS Sam Antonacci led-off with an outfield single and was able to score from third on a passed ball and dropped tag at the plate. Another hit from Sam Crail scored C Mauricio Millan to give the Bears a 10-run lead to start the eighth inning.
Black Bears pitchers Zach Ottinger, Wyatt Wendell, and Trey Braithwaite handled the remaining three innings, each recording two strikeouts, respectively, and only giving up one run to ensure the Black Bears’ 13-4 win.
The win puts the Black Bears at 6-10 on the season as they look to take their second consecutive series tomorrow night against Williamsport in seven innings. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
