NILES, OH – The West Virginia Black Bears dropped the series finale to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, 10-5, on Saturday evening at 7 17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood. The Black Bears jumped out to an early lead, but a pair of big innings from the Scrappers proved too much to overcome.
The Black Bears jumped on the board in their very first at-bat as Elijah Cook launched a 351-foot home run over the right-field fence. But the Scrappers answered immediately in the bottom half of the first. Zion Williams belted a two-run home run to center field, scoring Maddox Mihalakis and quickly swinging the lead in Mahoning Valley's favor.
Adding insurance, the Scrappers batted around in the second. Jordan Taylor crossed the plate on a line-drive RBI single from Mihalakis before Cooper Vance lifted a sacrifice fly that allowed Jayden Hylton to score and extend the Scrappers' lead.
Mahoning Valley broke the game open in the third. Mihalakis crushed a three-run homer to right-center field, plating Kaikea Harrison and Hylton for a five-run advantage.
The Bears roared back in the fourth inning with three runs of their own. Cole Kitchens ripped a sharp double to right field to score Ben Barrett. Cayden Gaskin followed with a groundout that brought Jackson Trout home before Cook delivered an RBI single to plate Kitchens and trim the deficit to three.
The Scrappers got one back in the bottom of the inning when a Hylton line drive allowed Noah Jouras to score.
After an empty fifth frame, Mahoning Valley padded its lead with two runs in the sixth. Hylton doubled into right field to score Taylor, and Vance followed with a soft single to center that brought Hylton home.
Despite the early offensive outburst from the Scrappers, West Virginia's bullpen settled into the game in the later innings. Aydan Decker-Petty provided valuable length, tossing three scoreless innings while striking out two without issuing a walk. Andrew Luczak and Dawson Hall closed out the night in dominant fashion, combining for two hitless innings with just one walk and two strikeouts to keep Mahoning Valley off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Elijah Cook led the Bears offense with three of the teams’ 13 hits, one run, two RBI, and his home run in the first inning.
The Black Bears continue their road trip tomorrow as they travel to Williamsport, Pa., to take on the Williamsport Crosscutters at Journey Bank Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. for the first of the three-game series.
