NILES — One night after scoring 10 runs in a win over Williamsport, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ bats again had plenty of firepower Friday — but not enough to overcome a wild performance from the pitching staff.

The result was a 16-6 West Virginia win over the Scrappers in front of the largest Eastwood Field crowd of the season. The most enjoyable display of fireworks for the home fans was supplied by the post-game pyrotechnic show which lit up the sky.

“Win or lose, playing at this place is as fun as anywhere I’ve ever played,” Scrappers infielder Colin Gordon said. “This is unlike any college or summer league atmosphere I’ve been involved in. Lots of energy at this place.”

The Scrappers grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Bobby Sparling RBI single. Scrappers pitchers kept a potent West Virginia offense relatively in check until the seventh inning, when the game was literally thrown away.

Scrappers pitchers threw eight wild pitches in a three-inning stretch which helped West Virginia score 12 runs. On the night six Scrappers pitchers combined to issue nine walks, throw nine wild pitches and hit three batters.

Gordon hasn’t been with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers for long. He joined the team following the MLB Draft and has appeared in 10 games. Unlike many of the recent additions to the roster, Gordon isn’t a local product — in fact he is 1,800 miles from his hometown of West Valley City, Utah.

Still, Gordon feels right at home in the Mahoning Valley.

“I love the outdoors. I love skiing; I love golfing; I love the lakes, and from what I understand, Ohio has a lot of all of that,” Gordon said. “I can get used to this.”

Gordon also has felt right at home when he’s standing at home plate. With the Scrappers, he is batting .333. In 33 at-bats he has 11 hits, including three doubles and a pair of home runs.

Gordon is a recent graduate of Lubbock Christian University (TX). There, he batted .315 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs. He majored in kinesiology. He previously played at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

With no remaining college eligibility, Gordon joined the Scrappers following the MLB Draft with the sole purpose of bettering his chance to continue his baseball career at the professional level.

“If baseball doesn’t pan out, I have my degree to fall back on. I have the possibility of going back to graduate school. I’ll have job opportunities,” Gordon said. “I just knew I wanted to give this one more shot; I wanted to pursue any opportunities possible.”

“This league provides a great opportunity for guys like me who want one more chance of showcasing their talents. The competition in this league is very strong so if you can put up numbers here you’ll get noticed.”

Gordon noted that his baseball career to this point has taken him to over 30 states. He has added Pennsylvania, New Jersey and West Virginia to the list since joining the Scrappers. He previously played in a tournament in western Ohio while in high school.

“I have loved this journey, I love where this game has taken me,” Gordon said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.”