WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The West Virginia Black Bears built an early four-run lead, but a five-run seventh inning from the Williamsport Crosscutters proved decisive in a 9-7 loss at Historic Bowman Field.
The Black Bears struck first in the opening frame. With runners on second and third, Cole Kitchens lined a single to center field to score Kevin Jones and Ben Barrett.
West Virginia added two more runs in the second inning. Cayden Gaskin singled back to the pitcher, allowing Jackson Trout to score, before Noah Jouras crossed the plate on Zack Thompson’s sacrifice fly to give the Black Bears a 4-0 advantage.
Williamsport got on the board in the third when James McCoy doubled to left field, bringing Joey DeMucci home. After a scoreless fourth inning, the Crosscutters narrowed the deficit in the fifth. Owen Prince singled to right to score DeMucci, and McCoy followed with a line-drive single to center that plated Prince, leaving the Black Bears ahead 4-3.
Following another scoreless frame in the sixth, Kitchens delivered again for West Virginia with an RBI single to center field that scored Jones and extended the lead by two.
The Crosscutters took control in the seventh. McCoy doubled to center, scoring Chris Stanfield and Prince, before Nick Romano singled to right to bring home McCoy and Jack Kail. Jake Zitella added an RBI single to left, scoring Nick Barone and capping a five-run inning for Williamsport.
The Black Bears answered in the eighth when Gaskin singled to center, allowing Alec DeMartino to score from second. Williamsport, however, added an insurance run in the bottom half as Prince stole home.
West Virginia made one final push in the ninth, with Ben Barrett scoring on Owen Petrich’s groundout, but the comeback fell short.
The Black Bears return to Historic Bowman Field tomorrow for the series finale against Williamsport. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
