GRANVILLE, W. Va. – The West Virginia Black Bears opened their three-game series against the Aberdeen IronBirds with a 6-5 win on Wednesday night at Kendrick Family Ballpark. The Bears built an early four-run lead and withstood a late push from the IronBirds to earn the victory.
Aberdeen struck first in the second inning when Max Galvin launched a solo home run to left field to give the IronBirds a 1-0 lead.
West Virginia answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Alec DeMartino singled before Sam Miller drove him home. An inning later, Ian Collier crushed a three-run home run that scored Kevin Jones and Ben Barrett to put the Bears up 4-1.
After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, Aberdeen chipped away in the sixth when Dylan Winebrenner scored on Brian Heckelman’s sacrifice fly. The Bears responded in the bottom of the inning as Cole Kitchens blasted a two-run home run, scoring DeMartino and extending West Virginia’s lead to 6-2.
Aberdeen refused to go away in the seventh. Patrick McCullough doubled before advancing to third on Nathan Early’s groundout, and Brayden Simpson singled to bring him home. Later in the inning, Isaiah Parido lined a single to score Galvin and trim West Virginia’s lead to two.
The IronBirds threatened again over the final two innings. Heckelman scored in the eighth to make it a one-run game, and Aberdeen put the tying run in scoring position in the ninth before the Black Bears recorded the final out to secure the 6-5 victory.
Ian Collier paced the Bears offensively, going 1-for-3 with a three-run home run, three RBI and a walk. Cole Kitchens added a two-run home run as part of a 2-for-4 night, while Alec DeMartino reached base twice, scoring two runs and drawing a walk.
The Bears return to Kendrick Family Ballpark on Thursday night for Empty Bowls, Full Hearts Night presented by WesBanco. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
