WILLIAMSPORT, PA - The Frederick Keys earned a series finale victory over the Williamsport Crosscutters Thursday night, winning by a score of 5-0 at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
The Keys led from the first inning on enroute to the road victory Thursday night, as they picked up their fourth win on the season prior to a three-game series against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers this weekend.
Following a 65-minute rain delay that pushed the start time to 7:40 p.m., the Keys started off fast as an RBI from Lance Trippel (South Florida) and a solo home run from Dawson Willis (Oklahoma) handed Frederick a 2-0 lead through an inning of play.
Matthew Becker (South Carolina) recorded his second straight scoreless inning in the bottom of the second, keeping the Keys out in front by two going into the third in Williamsport.
After Becker recorded another scoreless frame to keep it a 2-0 game after three innings, Brandon Cain (Oklahoma) got himself a scoreless bottom of the fourth on the hill in relief, allowing Frederick to remain ahead 2-0 entering the fifth at Journey Bank Ballpark.
It remained a 2-0 game approaching the sixth after Max Hansmann (Evansville) recorded two strikeouts in relief in the bottom of the fifth, and Hansmann kept it a 2-0 game following a scoreless bottom of the sixth inning in Billtown.
Following a scoreless seventh on both sides, Truitt Madonna (Ballard High School) extended the Keys lead to three on an RBI double, and a wild pitch scoring Caden Merritt (Gainesville High School) along with a bases loaded walk drawn by Trippel pushed the advantage up to five entering the ninth in the series finale.
In the ninth, Tyler Bowen (Lander) finished with a scoreless bottom of the frame, securing the series finale win in Williamsport Thursday night by a score of 5-0.
The Keys continue the five-game and six-day road trip against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers Friday night, with first pitch from Eastwood Field set for 7:05 p.m.
