Black Bears Serve the Spikes a Loss in Home Opener

Granville, W. Va. - Not even the rain could put a damper on an exciting night at Monongalia County Ballpark, as the West Virginia Black Bears defeated the State College Spikes in the home opener 4-3.
Offense was hard to come by through the first five and one-half innings, as Black Bears starter Osvaldo Bido kept the State College hitters guessing early. Only a pair of passed balls brought in runs for the Spikes, giving them the 2-0 lead.
Then in the bottom of the fifth inning, West Virginia came alive at the plate. After loading the bases with one out, a pair of walks to 2B Raul Siri and C Zac Susi sent two baserunners home to tie the game.
LF Daniel Amaral continued the scoring on a single into shallow left field to bring two more Black Bears across home plate, as West Virginia took a 4-2 lead with light rain coming over the stadium.
State College rallied in the eighth inning to drive in a run on a single to right field that brought the score to 4-3.
With a victory on the line in the home opener, the Black Bears called on P Nicholas Economos to get the save in the ninth inning. A member of the 2017 West Virginia team, the experienced righty retired the first three batters he faced to seal the win on a rainy night in Granville.
Bido picked up the win on the mound for the Black Bears in six innings of work, surrendering only two runs on seven hits, striking out four batters and walking two others.  
The game also marked the professional debut of Pirates' first round pick OF Travis Swaggerty, who manned centerfield in his first start for the Black Bears.
West Virginia returns for game two against the Spikes tomorrow night at Monongalia County Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.