Bears Bounce Back in 6-5 Win over Thunder

TRENTON, NJ – The West Virginia Black Bears defeated the Trenton Thunder by a score of 6-5 at Trenton Thunder Ballpark on Friday evening. West Virginia put up six runs on seven hits with the heart of the Black Bears’ order accounting for all five RBI. Starting pitcher Cobe Reeves tossed 3.2 innings with just one earned run, while newcomer LP Langevin closed the game with four strikeouts in two innings pitched.

West Virginia came out swinging to take an early three-run lead in the top of the first. A line drive by DH Noah Fisher moved LF Devin Saltiban, who reached on a walk, to second with 3B Caleb McNeely stepping up to the plate. McNeely, a member of the 2022 Trenton Thunder squad, quickly made an impact in a Bears’ uniform with a single to left field that scored Saltiban. After Fisher and McNeely advanced 90 feet on a balk by Thunder starter Peter Gallo, a single by 1B Ross Mulhall and a throwing error sent them home for two more runs.

The Bears continued to score early on with another run in the second. With catcher Dylan Symonds reaching on a fielding error and 2B Brody Fahr on a walk, a single by RF Nick Iannantone loaded the bases. The next at-bat, Fisher popped a fly-ball to shallow right field for the fourth Black Bears’ run.

Continuing to pad his season stats, Fisher picked up his second RBI of the game in the fourth with a triple deep to center field that scored Iannantone from first base. Heading into the home half of the inning, West Virginia led Trenton, 5-0.

The home team finally made it on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning on a walk. After loading the bases, Bears’ manager David Carpenter made a call to the bullpen for RHP Meade Johnson. Reeves, who threw three scoreless innings, ended his outing with three on and two outs. Johnson walked in SS Chase Engelhard for the first Trenton run before getting the Bears out of the jam with a flyout to right field.

Trenton reliever Jorden Sesar entered in the top of the fifth and put an abrupt stop on the Bears’ advance. Sesar retired the side through three straight innings, sending West Virginia into the seventh inning stretch with a 5-1 lead.

The Thunder rumbled back in the bottom of the seventh with four runs to tie the game. Back-to-back singles followed by a walk of 3B Chris Brito loaded the bases. A passed ball by Symonds allowed catcher Socrates Bardatsos to score and cut the deficit to three runs. After another walk, LHP Kevin Dowdell entered for Johnson with no outs. A groundout back to Dowdell got the first out but brought in CF Couper Cornblum. A wild pitch scored Brito to bring the Thunder within one, and a single from 2B Trey Paige tied the game. West Virginia made it out of the inning on a double play with the score knotted at five.

Then in the top of the ninth, Nick Iannantone put a run across to give the Bears the lead. Brody Fahr doubled on fly ball to center with Saltiban following on a single. With Fahr advancing to third, Iannantone popped a sacrifice fly to bring him home for the 6-5 lead.

Though the Thunder got two on base, LP Langevin shut the door on a comeback with two strikeouts to end the game. Langevin, the Louisiana Lafayette commit from Québec, threw two scoreless innings, retiring the side in the eighth and racking up four strikeouts in the process.

The heart of the Black Bears’ order propelled the offense ahead with Fisher bringing in two runs. The Madison Height, MI, native went two-for-three with one run to go with his two RBI. Through seven games, Fisher is batting .364 with eight hits. Caleb McNeely, the recent addition from West Virginia University, made a splash in his Bears’ debut. The Mountaineer finished the evening with one hit and the first RBI of the game.

The Black Bears return for the second game of the series against the Thunder on Saturday evening at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. Game coverage can be found at www.mlbdraftleague.com.