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Black Bears to open season on Friday

GRANVILLE — With opening day of the 2018 season kicking off at Mahoning Valley on Friday, the West Virginia Black Bears are pleased to announce a preliminary opening day roster.

The Black Bears will open up the season with a six-game road trip beginning in Niles, Ohio, against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Cleveland Indians).

After the first three-game series, the Bears will continue on to Batavia, N.Y., to face the Batavia Muckdogs (Miami Marlins).

The Black Bear roster features nine players selected by the Pirates organization in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Some notable names making their professional debuts include RHP Aaron Shortridge (Round 4), RHP Michael Flynn (Round 6), LHP Zachary Spears (Round 8), RF Brett Kinneman (Round 7) and C Zac Susi (Round 12).

The Black Bears also have a number of players being called up from the Rookie Level Bristol Pirates, including 2017 11th-round selection RHP Alex Manasa.

As a reliever last season, Manasa went 2-1 with a 3.76 ERA, striking out 35 batters while walking only seven.

Other players coming up from the Pirates rookie level affiliate include, RHP Ryan Valdes, C Paul Brands, 2B Nick Valaika, 2B Melvin Jiminez, 1B Jhoan Herrera and LF Edison Lantigua.

The 2018 roster also features four members of the 2017 West Virginia Black Bears team that finished tied for second in the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League last season — RHP Nicholas Economos, SS Robbie Glendenning, 2B Raul Siri and CF Michael de la Cruz.

Shortridge comes to West Virginia after being selected in the fourth round from the University of California-Berkley.

Shortridge boasted a 5-3 record with a 3.73 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 17 appearances for the Golden Bears in 2018.

Flynn was drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Arizona. Flynn went 6-5 for the Wildcats this spring, finishing with a 4.89 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 15 appearances on the mound.

In the eighth round, the Pirates drafted Spears. The towering lefty stands 6-foot-7, and finished his career at Miami (Ohio) with a 3.73 ERA and 88 strikeouts in his junior season.

Kinneman, a seventh-round pick, was one of the best power bats in the NCAA this season and hit .274 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs

Susi was drafted in the 12th round out of the University of Connecticut. Susi hit .335 with 33 RBIs

For ticket information, visit westvirginiablackbears.com or call the ticket office at (304) 293-7653.

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