GRANVILLE, W.Va. – Kade Strowd shut the door on the West Virginia Black Bears in his professional return to Mon County Ballpark, helping the Aberdeen IronBirds to a 4-1 win to split Friday’s doubleheader.
Strowd pitched the final two innings for Aberdeen (14-13), striking out three and allowing a run on two hits. He tossed a perfect sixth inning before wriggling out of minor trouble in the seventh inning of the shortened game. It was his second professional appearance.
The Orioles drafted Strowd in the 12th round of last month’s MLB Draft. He was an instrumental part of the pitching staff that helped WVU host NCAA postseason play for the first time in six decades, serving as the Mountaineers’ Sunday starter for the majority of his junior season.
The IronBirds used a bit of daring to take a lead in the top of the first, with Johnny Rizer coming home on a delayed double-steal when Black Bears catcher Kyle Wilkie unsuccessfully tried to throw out Irving Ortega at second base.
The IronBirds added runs on a fielder’s choice and passed ball, with the only well-struck blow against starting pitcher Noe Toribio coming on an Andrew Fregia solo home run that wrapped just inside the left-field foul pole.
The Black Bears (15-12) didn’t score until the bottom of the seventh courtesy of a two-out Ethan Paul RBI double. Strowd struck out Will Matthiessen to end the game.
Black Bears 3, IronBirds 1
\West Virginia won the opener as four pitchers managed to limit Aberdeen to a run on seven hits.
Grant Ford (2-0) was credited with the win, allowing no runs on two hits and two runs in two innings. The IronBirds squandered plenty of chances, finishing 1 of 8 with runners in scoring position.
The Black Bears were the team taking an early lead in this one, jumping ahead on Jared Triolo’s two-run double in the first. Blake Sabol added a solo homer to left field to provide insurance.
Garrett Leonard worked around two Aberdeen singles in the seventh to pick up his third save.
With both teams headed out of town for games Saturday, both ends of Friday’s doubleheader were shortened to seven innings. Thursday’s scheduled game was rained out.
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