TRENTON, N.J. – The West Virginia Black Bears beat the Trenton Thunder in a 15-9 win at Samuel J. Plumeri Sr. Field. A big second inning and three runs in the ninth propelled the Black Bears past the Thunder during a nearly four-hour game featuring 31 combined hits between teams (Black Bears 16, Thunder 15).
West Virginia struck first in the opening inning. Cayden Gaskin came around to score on a Ben Barrett groundout, giving the Black Bears a 1-0 lead.
Trenton answered quickly in the bottom of the inning. On the third offering from starting pitcher Barrett, lead-off batter Juju Stevens homered to left field. A.J. Swader scored on a Brayden Fraasman single, putting the Thunder ahead 2-1.
Without hesitation, the Bears came back to the plate and pulled ahead by five. After being struck and advancing to third on wild pitches, Ian Collier scored when Alec DeMartino singled to third. DeMartino then scored from first on Jackson Trout’s double to left. A pitching change ensued, bringing in JD Greeley for starter Derek Benzinger. The walk of Elijah Cook put two Bears on base, before Trout stole home to go ahead by two. Back-to-back singles from Kevin Jones and Barrett loaded the bases before Zack Thompson delivered the inning’s biggest blow: a grand slam to left field to give West Virginia an 8-2 lead.
The Thunder rallied in the bottom of the second with four runs. Daniel Murillo doubled to bring home Cy Turner, while Swader’s RBI single brought in both Murillo and Stevens. Fraasman then reached on an error, allowing Swader to score and cut the deficit to two.
West Virginia erased the Trenton efforts with four runs in the third. Jones launched a two-run homer over the left-field fence, scoring Gaskin for the second time in the game. Barrett scored on a Thompson line drive to push the lead back to five. With two Bears on base, Trenton sent in reliever Blake Donnan for Austin Kessler. After walking DeMartino, Donnan struck Trout to force in another run. Heading into the home half, West Virginia led 12-6.
The Thunder continued to battle, scoring once in the fifth when Stevens’s RBI double brought home Casen Taggart. Trenton added another run in the eighth as Taggart doubled to score Dean O’Neill.
But the Black Bears added key insurance runs in the ninth. Barrett doubled to right field to score Cook and Gaskin, then crossed the plate on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 15-8. Trenton brought in one more run in the bottom of the ninth on Bryson Trammell’s RBI single, but closer Ryan Ure held on for the 15-9 victory.
On a night the bullpen allowed 15 hits, the offense responded with 16 as almost every Bear in the lineup reached base at least once. Zack Thompson pulled West Virginia ahead early in the game with his grand slam in the second and finished with three hits, five RBI and two runs scored. Cayden Gaskin went 3-for-6 with three runs and four stolen bases, and Kevin Jones recorded his first home run of the season in the third. Starting pitcher and designated hitter Ben Barrett went 3-for-6 with three runs and three RBI while also throwing 3.0 innings, allowing six runs, four earned.
Reliever Andrew Luczak notched the win (1-2) with his 3.1 innings of relief, entering in the fifth for Connor Hensley. Luczak finished his outing with three strikeouts, allowing one run on four hits. Hensley (1.2 IP) and closer Ryan Ure (1.0 IP) both allowed one run with two strikeouts.
The Black Bears return to Samuel J. Plumeri Sr. Field on Sunday to close the series against the Thunder. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
