NILES, OH – The West Virginia Black Bears lost in sudden death to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at 7 17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood on Monday evening. Though the Black Bears rallied to tie the game at four in the seventh, the Scrappers walked it off with a single up the middle to take game one of the two-game series.
West Virginia wasted no time hopping on the board as Cayden Gaskin led off the first with a 385-ft home run. However, Mahoning Valley got the run back in the bottom of the inning as Mike Young scored Maddox Mihalakis with a single to center field.
Following Gaskin’s lead, Tyvon Moore recorded his first homer of the season with a two-run shot that plated Ian Collier to go ahead 3-1 in the second. In the home half, the Scrappers responded as Mihalakis’ RBI double brought home Kaikea Harrison, cutting the deficit to one.
Tyler Kaltreider and the Bears’ defense held the Scrappers off the base paths in the third and fourth innings. Center fielder Elijah Cook single-handedly ended the third with an 8-3 double play after catching a Julian Hernandez lineout and throwing out Cayden Evans at first. The Scrappers got a man on base in the fourth but stranded him on second.
Mahoning Valley finally broke the deadlock with two runs in the fifth. Cayden Evans’ sacrifice fly scored Mihalakis to tie with Cooper Vance on third. The next at-bat, Young singled to center, bringing in Vance to give the Scrappers a 4-3 lead.
In the seventh, West Virginia tied the game as Blake Wilson scrambled home on a Zack Thompson groundout into a double play. Reliever Carson Gipson held the tie, allowing two hits in the bottom of the frame, but striking out Jordan Taylor to get out of the inning unscathed.
With the game knotted at four, Andrew Luczak entered in relief of Gipson. Luczak made quick work of the Scrappers in the eighth before striking out the side in the ninth and sending the game into sudden death.
Scrappers’ manager Raul Gonzalez opted for offense, sending Luczak and the Bears’ defense back to the field for the final half-inning. After retiring the first batter on a sacrifice bunt that advanced Young to second, Mahoning Valley subbed in outfielder Jayden Hylton as a pinch hitter. The intentional walk of Hylton put two on base for Zion Williams, who proceeded to walk it off with a single up the middle.
Despite the loss, the Black Bears played a consistent game with the defense allowing just four runs off 10 hits. Starter Tyler Kaltreider made it through 4.1 innings with seven hits, four runs (all earned), two walks and two strikeouts. Carson Gipson maintained his 0.00 ERA with 2.2 scoreless frames, allowing three hits while striking out three. Andrew Luczak took top honors with his 2.0 innings of work as he struck out the side in the ninth.
Tyvon Moore had his best day as Black Bear, going 2-for-4 with one run, a stolen base, and two RBI off his homer in the second. Cayden Gaskin recorded his second home run in as many games with his lead-off solo shot in the first.
West Virginia returns to even the series with Mahoning Valley in the final game at 7 17 Credit Union Field on Tuesday evening. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
