GRANVILLE W.Va. – The West Virginia Black Bears opened the first game of their two-game series with a 7-3 victory over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, using a five-run sixth inning to pull away and secure the win.
Starting pitcher Ben Barrett began the game by retiring the Scrappers’ side in order. In the home half, the Black Bears took an early lead when Cayden Gaskin came home on a Scrappers wild pitch.
After a scoreless second inning, the Black Bears added another run in the third. Gaskin stole home as Elijah Cook struck out, crossing the plate for his second run of the night and extending the lead to 2-0.
Mahoning Valley answered in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Julian Hernandez drew a walk to bring home Cooper Vance, cutting the deficit to one. Later in the inning, Maddox Mihalakis lined a triple hard to center field to score Jordan Taylor. A pitching changed ensued, bringing in reliever Aydan Decker-Petty with one out on the board. Cayden Evans lifted a sacrifice fly to left, allowing Mihalakis to score, and giving the Scrappers a 3-2 lead.
West Virginia responded with a decisive five-run sixth inning. Ian Collier picked up an RBI single when he scored Elijah Cook to tie the game. Zack Thompson followed with a single to center, bringing home pinch-hitter Owen Petrich. Alec DeMartino kept the rally going with a double that plated Collier before a wild pitch scored Thompson. Kevin Jones capped the inning with another RBI single, driving in DeMartino to give the Black Bears a 7-3 advantage.
The Bears bullpen went to work over the final frames, as Decker-Petty held the Scrappers to one hit and through the seventh. Andrew Luczak entered in relief in the eighth, throwing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to close the game.
Catcher Zack Thompson led the Bears offense, going 3-for-4 with one run and an RBI. Starter Ben Barrett tossed 4.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits while walking three and striking out four. Aydan Decker-Petty earned the win with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, surrendering just one hit.
The Black Bears return to Kendrick Family Ballpark on Sunday, August 2, to wrap up the series against the Scrappers. Fans are encouraged to bring their four-legged friends for Bark in the Park presented by Pampered 4 Paws. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.
