WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The West Virginia Black Bears lost the first game of the three-game series to the Williamsport Crosscutters, 7-6, on Sunday evening. The Black Bears erased a six-run deficit through the seventh and eighth innings to tie, but the Crosscutters walked it off to take game one at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
Williamsport took control early and built a sizable advantage through the first five innings. Carson Bayne led off with a solo home run for a one-run lead after the first inning. In the third, Nick Romano’s RBI groundout scored Joey DeMucci for a 2-0 lead.
The Crosscutters extended this lead in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Jack Kail grounded out to score Chris Stanfield. A wild pitch by Black Bears starter Ben Barrett then brought home Nick Barone to go ahead by four.
West Virginia’s Tom Chmielewski relieved Barrett to begin the fifth inning. After loading the bases, Barone delivered a two-run single that scored James McCoy and Matthew Williams, making it 6-0.
The Black Bears finally broke through in the seventh. Ian Collier led off with a single before two-way player Ben Barrett added another base hit. Jackson Trout drove in Collier with an RBI double to put West Virginia on the board, and after Sam Miller walked to load the bases, Kevin Jones brought Barrett home. Cayden Gaskin then lined a single into center, scoring Trout and Miller to trim the deficit to two.
West Virginia completed the comeback in the eighth. DeMartino singled and Barrett walked before Miller loaded the bases with a hit. After Jones struck out, Gaskin delivered a two-out, two-run double, tying the game at six.
Ultimately, the Bears’ efforts were in vain as they stranded Collier on first in the top of the ninth. The Cutters ended the game with a walk off as Jack Kail’s line drive scored McCoy for the 7-6 win.
Gaskin powered the Bears’ comeback, finishing 2-for-5 with four RBI, including the game-tying two-run double in the eighth. Sam Miller reached base three times, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Starting pitcher Ben Barrett threw four innings before going 1-for-3 with two runs scored as a designated hitter.
The Black Bears return to Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field on Monday night for the second game of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
