GRANVILLE, W.Va. – After two consecutive losses at Monongalia County Ballpark, the West Virginia Black Bears got back in the win column on Sunday afternoon with a 6-4 win over the Frederick Keys.
Defensively, West Virginia began the contest strong as starting pitcher Jeremy Cook retired the side with three-up, three-down in the top of the first.
The Black Bears offense found some traction early in the game. In the bottom of the first, CF Maddux Houghton hit a lead-off double all the way to the left-center field wall to get in scoring position. A few at-bats later, a wild pitch allowed Houghton to cross home plate, giving West Virginia the 1-0 advantage in the first inning.
The Bears continued their solid defensive play through the next two innings courtesy of well-timed fielding and spearheaded by three strikeouts from Cook. West Virginia continued their defensive pressure on Frederick in the top of the fourth. Although a single from Keys’ LF Hunter Jump opened the inning, he was thrown out at second base the next at-bat. After SS Evan Berkey was caught stealing second, Cook capped the inning with a strikeout for his fourth of the game.
Frederick threatened West Virginia in the top of the sixth with a runner in scoring position. While 1B Logan Mathieu was unable to make the play, a quick pass back to second tagged Jump as he made his way back to the base. The Black Bears ended the top of the sixth retaining their one-run lead.
In the bottom of the inning, the Bears’ bats finally caught fire. Mathieu got the party started for West Virginia with a shot to right field that put DH Ryan Hernandez in scoring position. The next at-bat, LF Adan Fernandez fired a shot to deep left field to send Hernandez home for the second Black Bears run of the game. Later, a shot off the bat of 2B Jovante Dorris slipped into the outfield and drove in Mathieu for another Black Bears run. Catcher J.C. Santini then homered on a hard-hit ball that breached the left field wall to increase West Virginia’s lead to 6-0.
A comeback for the Keys began in the top of the seventh inning as a double from C Matt Oldham scored DH Robert Brooks for the first Frederick run of the game. Then after West Virginia closer Grayson Thurman loaded the bases with walks in the top of the eighth, a triple from Keys 1B Jake Plastiak brought Frederick within two as he drove in three runs. Thurman hemorrhaged the bleeding with three strikeouts to end the inning with the Bears up 6-4. Thurman added two more strikeouts to his total in the ninth to secure the win for West Virginia.
Starter Jeremy Cook notched his fifth win of the season as he blanked the Keys through six innings while allowing just three hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Offensively, Maddux Houghton led the charge for the Bears with four hits in five at-bats and one run, though J.C. Santini shined with the three-run home run that gave West Virginia the runs necessary for the victory.
With the win, the Black Bears improve to 33-21 this season, sitting just one game behind the first-place Williamsport Crosscutters in the MLB Draft League standings. West Virginia hits the road on Tuesday for six games beginning with a three-game series against the third-place State College Spikes and ending with three against the Trenton Thunder. The Black Bears return to Monongalia County Ballpark for a six-game home stand on Tuesday, August 16.
