NILES — In recent times the Mahoning Valley Scrappers have had their struggles against the West Virginia Black Bears.

Since the inception of the MLB Draft League, the Scrappers have lost more games to the Black Bears than any other league foe.

At least for now, the tables have been turned.

Mahoning Valley and West Virginia met for the first time this season in a weekend three-game series, and the Scrappers came away with a three-game sweep of the Black Bears.

On Sunday, the Scrappers completed the sweep with a 6-5 victory at Eastwood Field.

The victory lifts the Scrappers’ record to 10-9 while West Virginia falls to 9-9.

After West Virginia scored the game’s first run in the top of the first inning, the Scrappers responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame. Carson Garner doubled home Ben Watson, who led off with a single. Garner scored on a JC Vanek base hit.

With the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the third, Garner and Vanek again teamed up to give the Scrappers the lead. Following a Garner walk and advancement to second on a wild pitch, Garner scored on a Vanek single.

Chase Heath — batting .409 in eight games with the Scrappers — gave his team a 4-3 lead in the sixth with his first home run of the season.

Trey Fenderson and Max Johnson each drove in a run in the bottom of the eighth, extending the Scrappers’ lead to 6-3.

Scrappers reliever JJ Tylicki worked himself into a jam in the ninth. He surrendered two runs and the Black Bears had the bases loaded with just one out. However, Judah Morris popped out to the shortstop, then Connor Hicks was caught trying to steal home to end the game.

The Scrappers and Black Bears meet 16 more times this summer.

Following a day off today, the Scrappers begin a two game series on Tuesday at State College.

STEWART FINDING A GROOVE

In the history of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, one would be hard-pressed to find a player who enjoyed a more productive start than current Scrappers catcher Daniel Stewart.

In his Scrappers debut on June 11, Stewart went 5-for-5 with three RBI. One day later he went 4-for-6, again racking up three RBI in an 18-5 win over Trenton.

Through his first four games with the Scrappers, Stewart was batting .750 (12-for-16, seven RBI).

“I just came here trusting my routine, trusting my drills, listening to my coaches,” Stewart said. “When it comes to baseball, I just try to be a sponge around everyone, taking everything in and learning from myself, my coaches and teammates.”

Following his impressive four-game start, Stewart experienced a setback in his fifth game when he suffered a concussion. Playing first base for the first time in his career, Stewart took a knee to his head while fielding a throw.

After sitting out for 11 days, Stewart returned to the Scrappers’ starting lineup on Friday.

“It was a tough break because when you’re in a groove you want to keep plugging away,” Stewart said. “But that’s all a part of baseball. I used it as a learning experience. Setbacks are going to happen, so I used that time to think about what I was doing right, how I can repeat it, and how I can improve when I hit a slump.

“I just used that time to mentally improve my game. Baseball is a tough game. You’re always going to have ups and downs. How you handle those tough situations will go a long way in determining your baseball future.”

Stewart’s hot start in the MLB Draft League is nothing more than an extension to the season he just completed at Tennessee Wesleyan. Last month, the junior was named an NAIA First-Team All-American after batting .436 in 60 games. He clobbered 20 home runs and racked up 79 RBI.

“I like to think that I’ve always seen the ball really well out of the pitcher’s hand, and that has given me a huge edge in what I do at the plate,” Stewart said. “But hitting a baseball is super tough. It’s always an ongoing process because even the best of the best suffer through slumps.”

When he’s not making noise at the plate, Stewart is manning his position from behind the plate. He’s been a catcher his entire baseball life. Stewart’s older brother Will Stewart is a pitcher who was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015. Will eventually was traded to Miami and made it to the Triple-A level before being released by the Marlins. He currently is a free agent.

“Growing up, it was just a simple case of my brother being a pitcher and he needed someone to catch for him in the backyard,” Stewart said. “I started catching out of necessity, but then I really fell in love with the position.

“I feel really comfortable behind the plate. I love being involved in every pitch of the game. It keeps me focused and it really helps me see the game in a different perspective. I feel like I learn a lot about the game by being a catcher.”

Stewart says he also learned a great deal by closely following his older brother’s journey through the minor leagues.

“I feel like I had a cheat code when it came to learning the ins and outs of this game,” Stewart said. “I’ve been blessed to be around someone my entire life who plays at an elite level. I have paid attention to everything my brother does, both on and off the field. It’s been a fantastic learning opportunity.”

Stewart is currently batting .609. He collected one hit on both Friday and Saturday to hit safely in all six games he’s played. He sat out of Sunday’s game against West Virginia.