GRANVILLE, W.Va. - The West Virginia Black Bears defeated the Trenton Thunder in a 5-2 win at Monongalia County Ballpark on Tuesday night. Manny Vorhees drove the Bears’ offense with two hits and two RBI, while starting pitcher Brady Tedesco added to his strikeout total with three through five innings pitched. With the win, the Black Bears improved their second-half record to 24-13 and remain 4.5 games ahead of the second-place Frederick Keys.
The game got off to a slow start with no runs and two hits between the Thunder and Black Bears in the first one and a half innings.
The Black Bears got on the board in the bottom of the second. After Tyler Dellerman tripled on a fly ball that bounced off the wall, Manny Vorhees brought Dellerman home on an RBI single to take a one-run lead.
Trenton tied the game in the top of the fourth off an RBI triple from Dan Covino that sent Anthony Fontana home. Justin Guerra’s sacrifice fly drove in Covino to go ahead 2-1.
In the bottom of the inning, the Bears bit back to retake the lead. Vorhees drove in his second run to score Michael Cooper and tie the game. The next at-bat, Ben McClain singled-in the go-ahead run as Dellerman came home to give the Black Bears a 3-2 lead. Later in the inning, Cam Ridley was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, sending in Vorhees to bring the score to 4-2.
Tristen Hudson came in for starter Brady Tedesco to start the sixth. In five innings pitched, Tedesco gave up two earned runs and five hits but managed three strikeouts.
West Virginia added a final insurance run in the bottom of the seventh as Vorhees sent Noah Lucier home for a 5-2 Black Bears’ lead heading into the eighth.
After walking two batters in the top of the ninth, West Virginia reliever Jim Jarecki was replaced by Shayne Clowar. Clowar retired the final two batters to secure the 5-2 win.
Manny Vorhees drove the Bears’ offensive momentum in Tuesday night’s contest. In five at-bats, Vorhees recorded two hits, one run and two RBI to improve his average to .290. Starter Brady Tedesco had a modest outing compared to his recent record-breaking performances with three strikeouts through 5.0 innings pitched. Tedesco leads the MLB Draft League in strikeouts with 68 through eight starts and holds the league single-game strikeout record (15). In relief, the Bears’ bullpen held the Thunder hitless through four innings with Jim Jarecki picking up three strikeouts through 1.1 innings pitched. Tristen Hudson and Shayne Clowar recorded one strikeout each, with both pitchers combining for 2.2 hitless innings.
West Virginia returns to take on Trenton for game two of the series on Wednesday evening. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
