Moyers shines as Power holds on for 5-4 win

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (June 2, 2019) - Steven Moyers spun a career-best 7.2 innings, while West Virginia held off a late Asheville rally to snag a 5-4 win in the series finale Sunday afternoon at McCormick Field.
Moyers (4-4) was dominant over the first seven innings, giving up just two runs on five hits. At one point, the southpaw set down 12 batters in a row from the second inning into the sixth. Moyers collected his seventh quality start of the season while also posting the longest start for a Power (28-28) pitcher this season.

Asheville (24-32) wasted no time getting to Moyers in the opening frame, as Terrin Vavra laced a leadoff single and moved to second after Coco Montes worked a walk. Willie MacIver laid down a sacrifice bunt that pushed both runners into scoring position, while Moyers hit Grant Lavigne with a pitch to load the bases. Niko Decolati then blooped a single to center field in his first at-bat as a Tourist to make it 1-0 Asheville.
The Tourists tacked on another run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from Vavra, scoring Kyle Datres to push the lead to 2-0.
West Virginia answered back in the fifth, with Ryan Ramiz igniting the rally courtesy of a one-out infield single that deflected off Ryan Feltner's (3-5) glove on the mound. J.R. Davis followed that up with a double that just scraped the 42-foot wall in right field, putting runners at second and third. Keegan McGovern walked to load the bases for Bobby Honeyman, who sizzled a grounder down the right-field line that brought in Ramiz and Davis to tie the game at two. The next batter, Onil Pena, vaulted the Power in front, 3-2, with a sacrifice fly to right that sent in McGovern from third.
Charlie McConnell and Pena gave West Virginia some much-needed insurance in the seventh. McConnell just missed crushing his third home run of the season, as his deep fly ball clanked off the top of the wall in right-center, doubling in Ramiz. Three batters later, Pena stroked a run-scoring single, extending the Power's edge to 5-2.
Asheville made it close in the eighth, as Montes led off the inning with a home run. Moyers then retired the next two batters on a groundout and a strikeout, but Decolati singled to right to keep the frame going. The newest Tourist stole second and scored on a fielding error by Honeyman, as he could not handle an awkward-hopping grounder to third from Will Golsan that could have ended the inning. 
David Ellingson (S, 2) relieved Moyers and retired Daniel Montano to end the threat and keep West Virginia in front by one. The Georgetown product then struck out Datres and Cade Harris in the ninth before inducing a groundout from Vavra to seal the victory. The Power split the series with Asheville at two games apiece.
West Virginia continues its North Carolina road trip Monday evening, as they open up a three-game series with the Hickory Crawdads at L.P. Frans Stadium. First pitch for the series opener is set for 6:30 p.m. RHP Deivy Florido (2-1, 3.26 ERA) heads to the hill for the Power, while the Crawdads go with righty Ronny Henriquez (0-3, 4.38 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 6:10 p.m. on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM, as well as online at wvpower.com and via the TuneIn Radio App and MiLB First Pitch App.
After their seven-game road swing through North Carolina, the Power returns home for their final first-half homestand from June 6-12 against the Greenville Drive and the Delmarva Shorebirds. The home stretch includes a Rock 105 Two for Tuesday and Thirsty Thursday, a postgame fireworks show, courtesy of the West Virginia Lottery and Suddenlink, a Kidz Sunday Funday presented by the Shawnee Park Foundation, a Family Buck Day and a Pets in the Park Night. The two highlights of the homestand begin Thursday, June 6, as West Virginia hosts Power of Pride Night, sponsored by Rainbow Pride of West Virginia and Dow Inc., where the first 500 fans can receive a special pennant giveaway. Meanwhile, the club will celebrate 15 Years of the Power, presented by Appalachian Power, Saturday, June 8, with a special player canvas giveaway available for the first 1,000 fans through the gates. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit www.wvpower.com.