Technically, it is a bit longer than a month, as the regular season wraps up on September 3rd. Regardless, the West Virginia Black Bears head into August as the top team in the MLB Draft League and return home to begin a grueling remaining schedule. Here is what to expect.
Hot Start to the Second Half
The Black Bears had a great first half of the season, but came up one game short of a first-half crown and an automatic spot in the Draft League title game in September. After a brief break for the MLB Draft and immense roster turnover across the Draft League, the second half opened up on July 16th.
With July in the rearview mirror, the Black Bears are primed for a fiery finish to the second half slate. West Virginia is riding high into the August campaign, touting a 9-4 second-half record and a narrow lead over the competition for the top spot in the standings.
By the Numbers
The Black Bears are averaging 6.7 runs per game offensively in the first 13 games of the second half, a slight improvement over the already-impressive average of 6.38 runs per game the team held through the first 13 games of the first half.
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Defensively, the Black Bears have taken a bit of a downturn compared to the start of the first half, but the improved offense offsets many of the potential pitfalls of allowing more runs on average. West Virginia has allowed just over 6 runs per game since the break, but the statistic is heavily skewed due to the Black Bears allowing 47 runs across the first four games of the second half.
A Brutal Schedule
The MLB Draft League has an extensive summer schedule, with teams slated for an 80-game campaign in a three-month span. The Black Bears are in the middle of a brutal stretch, with the team’s only relief coming via bad weather. If Mother Nature does not interfere like it did on July 31st, the Black Bears will have to play 10 consecutive days before their next day off. The 10 days will be split between Morgantown and the road, as the first five games will be played at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
This makes for a great opportunity for the Black Bears to strike while the iron is hot, as West Virginia is 14-5 at home in 2025. In the second half, West Virginia is 4-0 within the confines of “The Ken”, sweeping the two brief home series against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers and the Frederick Keys, respectively. In those four games, the Black Bears have had the support of a respectably-sized crowd. The homestand welcomed nearly 4,000 spectators, averaging 997 fans a game. In a summer league such as the MLB Draft League, having a crowd that size can be a difference-maker.
A Brutal Schedule, Continued
Following the upcoming five-game home slate, the Black Bears will return to the road for five more games before a well-deserved day off. The road trip will consist of three games at Williamsport before finishing off with a pair of contests at Mahoning Valley. This gaggle of games could very well be the catalyst for West Virginia to try and run away in the standings, which is ever-important in a league where it is common for three or four teams to be within two games of first place up until the final strike is called.
At the time of publication, the Black Bears are scheduled to play the final 31 games of the regular season in 34 days. In reality, the grueling schedule is the best way to prepare players for the big leagues, and that is valuable experience for athletes to have under their belts.
Standout Players
Since the roster turnover during the mid-July break, Draft League teams have mostly new rosters compared to those of the first half. While the first half of the season is for collegiate and amateur players to gain experience in hopes of getting selected in the MLB Draft, or just to rack up live reps, the second half is for paid, professional players who have not reached a higher playing level just yet. Confusing, I know.
All that being said, one of the biggest standouts for the Black Bears is one of the few athletes returning from the first half. Judah Morris was an absolute monster for West Virginia in the first half and has made an impact in his few appearances in the second half. Despite dealing with injury, Morris has come in to pinch-hit several times since the mid-July break.
As of July 31st, the slugger leads the Black Bears in RBI (27), doubles (10), and home runs (5). Expect the Illinois State product to continue making waves as Morris works his way back to full strength.
Jason Bollman, despite the small sample size, is another name to keep an eye on as the season chugs along. The right-handed dealer earned Pitcher of the Week honors for July 21-27, as Bollman tallied a complete game shutout, the only complete game in the Draft League this season. Other than the shaky 7.37 ERA, Bollman is 2-1 and has collected 20 punchouts.
Final Thoughts
As the calendar flips to August, the West Virginia Black Bears are primed for the final 31 games of the 80-game season. Head Coach Jon Nunnally has the Black Bears in the top spot in the second-half standings, with several teams following right behind. To note, the first-place team at the end of the day on September 3rd will advance to face the first-half champions, the State College Spikes, in the MLB Draft League Championship on September 4th. With a lot of baseball left to be played, the Black Bears are set up for success if the team can remain hot.
For future entries in The Edwards Editorial, my newly established column, as well as all things West Virginia sports, stay up to date with WV Sports Nation.
