Daniel Kanagy

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Daniel Kanagy left the mound with the West Virginia Black Bears behind on Tuesday night, but his teammates mounted a late-game comeback to get the East Juniata High School product off the hook.

The Black Bears rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 10-7 victory over Mahoning Valley in Major League Baseball Draft League action at Kendrick Family Ballpark.

Kanagy pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking three. The Scrappers led 5-3 in the sixth inning before scoring twice more before Kanagy exited.

The Black Bears answered with two in their half of the sixth then posted a big five-spot in the seventh. In the sixth, Jake Berg grounded out to score one run, and DeMarckus Smiley singled to drive in another to make the score 7-5.

For the decisive seventh-inning rally, Jake Berg walked on a full count to cut the Scrappers’ lead to one before Harker struck Coppedge with his third offering to tie the game at 7-7.

Smiley then smacked a bases-loaded single to center. As Ungar and Berg scored, a throwing error to second by catcher Keegan Rodin gave Coppedge time to make it home to go up 10-7.

With the win, the Black Bears completed the sweep of the Scrappers and are now 3-3 in the second half of the MLB Draft League season.

In this back-and-forth contest, the Scrappers took an early lead in the top of the first. Hayden Moore hit a line drive off Kanagy, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Bears quickly responded, scoring two runs in the first. Alex Rodgers drew a walk, followed by Ungar hitting his first home run of the season for the 2-1 lead. The Bears extended it in the bottom of the second when Coppedge and Smiley singled to put runners on the corners. Jace Rinehart hit a sacrifice fly, bringing home Coppedge to give the Bears a 3-1 cushion.

However, the Scrappers charged ahead by two in the fourth. After Patrick Roche scored on a double to right field in the third, Mahoning Valley reclaimed the lead in the fourth frame on a Matthew Rivera home run.

The Black Bears visit the Williamsport Crosscutters for a three-game set, which started on Wednesday.