WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – In a game marked by fielding errors, the West Virginia Black Bears lost the third game of the series against the Williamsport Crosscutters by a score of 8-5. With the loss, the Black Bears drop to 10-13 on the season and lose their first series since June 15.
As in previous games, the Crosscutters scored first with a solo home run from C Hogan McIntosh in the second inning. Williamsport added to its lead in the bottom of the third with an RBI double and a single to left field that put them up 3-0.
The Black Bears finally responded in the top of the fifth with an RBI single from 1B Gehrig Anglin that scored RF Sam Crail. A ground rule double from 2B Daunte Stuart brought home Anglin and cut the Williamsport lead to one.
In the next inning, Crail doubled on a line drive to left field that scored C Hunter May to knot the game, 3-3. Crail, who went four-for-three at the plate, got his second run of the night when a ground out by SS Savier Pinales allowed him to score from third to give the Bears their first and only lead.
West Virginia was unable to hold on to the one-run lead, though, as Williamsport fought back in the home half of the inning to score two more runs – one on a fielder’s choice by 3B Sam Antonacci and the other on a line drive to center field that scored Cutters’ SS Alan Shibley. Heading into the seventh inning, the Bears trailed, 5-4.
For the second night, the Black Bears could not find an offensive rhythm in the last three innings and committed four fielding errors that allowed the Crosscutters to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Though West Virginia would score one more run on a sacrifice ground out, the Bears could not overcome the deficit and ended the game down 8-5.
The Black Bears look to bounce back from the series loss as they travel to State College to take on the Spikes in their second meeting of the season, beginning on July 1. The Bears return to The Mon on July 4, just in time for the Independence Day celebration, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
