MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia Black Bears fourth season in Morgantown is finally underway.
“Our team’s a lot better than our record and we’re just looking forward to having the team come back in town and the folks get the chance to see all our new players,” said General Manager Matt Drayer earlier this week on “The Gary Bowden Show” on WAJR-Clarksburg.
The Black Bears sit at 3-4 heading into the second game of Saturday’s series with State College.
Drayer expressed his excitement for some of the new faces, including Travis Swaggerty, who the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted 10th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft.
“The Pirates draft very, very well,” said Drayer. “He’s an outfielder, very fast, hits for power.”
The game isn’t the only thing fans should look forward to. According to Drayer, the Black Bears love to put on a show for the audience. This includes bringing Pirates alumni, like retired pitcher John Candelaria, to the game for first pitch ceremonies. Black Bears baseball also includes fireworks for home fans.
“It’s all about game day entertainment,” he said. “One thing we can’t control in sports is the product on the field, the wins and losses. But I can make sure that when you come here, you’re going to have a great time no matter how well the team performs. Your food is going to be hot, your drinks are going to be cold. It’s going to be a safe, clean environment and you can just have a great time.”
One thing fans should be aware of is the new clear bag policy that the Black Bears have adopted in conjunction West Virginia University Athletics. Only clear bags will be permitted into the stadium in an effort to promote safety for everyone attending.
“We want to make sure our ballpark is fun, safe, clean,” Drayer said. “You can come here and bring your family to it you don’t have to worry about it. It’s just one extra layer of security and precaution to make sure that everybody has a great time.”
First pitch versus the State College Spikes begins at 7:05 p.m from Monongalia County Ballpark. A fireworks presentation is included in tonight’s game.
Story by Hannah Williams