GRANVILLE, W.Va. – The West Virginia Black Bears won their final series of the season with a 6-2 victory over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Kendrick Family Ballpark. The Black Bears’ pitching corps held the visitors scoreless in eight of nine innings while the offense notched six unanswered runs in Monday night’s win.
In his final start for West Virginia, Tyler Kaltreider threw a clean first inning before taking shelter for a 30-minute rain delay with two outs in the second. Once the clouds cleared, Kaltreider collected the final out to hold the Scrappers scoreless through two.
Mahoning Valley broke through in the top of the third with Jordan Taylor’s solo shot into the visiting bullpen. The next at-bat, Jayden Hylton’s double put him in scoring position for Mike Young to drive him home for a two-run lead.
The Black Bears responded in the bottom of the inning, surging ahead with five runs. After the walks of Alec DeMartino and Tyvon Moore, Cayden Gaskin’s 371-foot blast cleared the bases to put West Virginia up by one. The following play, the Bears took a free base on the walk of Kevin Jones before he was joined by Zack Thompson, who was hit by a pitch. On the fourth offering by Scrappers’ starter Jeremiah Newman, Owen Petrich hit a line-drive into center for his eighth double of the season and two runs scored. Mahoning Valley disrupted the momentum with a pitching change, sending in reliever Julian Pokorny, who recorded out number three on Jackson Trout’s groundout to third.
West Virginia added one in the fourth frame as Gaskin brought in his fourth run of the night with a sacrifice fly that scored DeMartino for a 6-2 lead.
Reece Clapp took the mound for the Bears to start the sixth, relieving Kaltreider after 5.0 solid innings of work. Clapp retired the side and held the Scrappers scoreless through the seventh inning stretch. Entering in the eighth and facing the heart of the order, Aydan-Decker Petty went three up, three down, to preserve the four-run advantage.
Down to their final three outs, the Scrappers’ attempts at a rally were thwarted as Decker-Petty rang up Jason Torres for the first out. Jackson Trout’s throw from the third-base foul line mowed down Kaikea Harrison at second as he attempted to stretch his base hit to a double. Gaskin secured the final out, catching a shallow line drive to win the game and the series.
Blake Wilson and Cayden Gaskin led the Bears offense, comprising five of seven West Virginia hits. Wilson went 3-for-4 with a triple, while Gaskin continued his hot streak with two hits, one run, and four RBI, including three from his home run in the third. With two hits and two RBI, Owen Petrich rounded out the Bears with hits on the evening.
In his ninth start for the Black Bears, Tyler Kaltreider (5-1) got the win, racking up seven strikeouts through 5.0 innings pitched. Reece Clapp and Aydan Decker-Petty preserved the West Virginia lead through the final four innings with each giving up just one hit through their respective 2.0 innings of work.
West Virginia returns for the final game of the series and the season on Tuesday evening at Kendrick Family Ballpark. Highlights of the Black Bears’ last stand include $5.00 tickets or free admission with the donation of three food pantry items, giveaways of remaining promotions, and the final 2sDay at the Park special on $2.00 hot dogs and select concessions. First pitch for the last game of the 2026 season begins at 6:00 p.m.
