GRANVILLE, W.Va. – The West Virginia Black Bears fell to the Trenton Thunder, 8-5, after a ninth-inning surge from the Thunder erased the Bears lead.
West Virginia jumped ahead in the bottom of the second inning when Derrick Tarpley Jr. turned a walk into a run, coming home on an RBI-single from Ty Dalley.
The Black Bears extended their lead in the fifth. Marcus Bradshaw drew a walk and stole second and third base. On the next pitch, Owen Henne launched a 351-foot home run to right field, scoring two and giving West Virginia a 3-0 advantage.
Attempting to avoid the sweep and maintain their position atop the MLB Draft League standings, Trenton answered in the seventh with a three-run home run to tie the game.
West Virginia quickly regained control in the bottom of the inning. Bradshaw reached base after being hit by a pitch and again stole second and third. Henne followed with a ground-rule double to right field, plating Bradshaw. Henne later scored on a single by Walker Barron, giving the Black Bears a 5-3 lead.
The Thunder trimmed the deficit their next at-bat with a solo home run, making it 5-4 heading into the final frame.
After a quiet eight innings, Trenton capitalized on West Virginia’s defensive struggles to score four runs and take an 8-5 lead in the ninth. The Black Bears attempted a rally but ended the game after being retired in order.
Despite the loss, West Virginia held Trenton to two hits through six innings and combined for nine strikeouts. In his debut as a starter, two-way player Ben Barrett allowed just two hits through 2.0 innings pitched with three strikeouts. Thomas Santana entered in relief in the third, carrying the Bears through the fifth inning with three more strikeouts and just one hit. Cal Higgins pitched in the sixth, followed by Quentin Pohorski in the seventh with three strikeouts.
The Black Bears return to Kendrick Family Ballpark for a four-game home stand, starting with a two-game series against the Williamsport Crosscutters beginning Tuesday, June 30, at 6:30 p.m. West Virginia closes the home stand with its annual Independence Day Eve game against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, featuring their largest fireworks show of the season sponsored by MVB Bank.
