TRENTON, N.J. – 272 days after Williamsport defeated Trenton in the 2024 MLB Draft League Championship, the Crosscutters dominated en route to a 13-4 win on Opening Night 2025 in a championship rematch against the Thunder at Trenton Thunder Ballpark on Wednesday night.
Hayden Jatzak was the first Cutters baserunner of 2025 after reaching on a two-out walk in the top of the first. However, he wouldn't be on the bags long as Matthew Bardowell blasted a 370-foot home run to right to give Williamsport a 2-0 lead after one inning.
Trenton would wait until the bottom of the third to respond, scoring a run on a Jatczak throwing error from third to make it 2-1 after three.
In the fifth, Taeg Gollert reached the hard way on a hit by pitch and scored on a Logan Johnstone double during the next at bat. Johnstone would score thanks to a Thunder throwing error that also allowed Dylan Schaefer to score. Schaefer would come around as well on a Jatczak single to push the Williamsport lead to 5-1. Trenton would respond with a single run in the bottom of the frame on a sac fly to cut the Williamsport lead to 5-2 after five innings of play.
Trenton continues to edge closer in the sixth inning thanks to another sac fly, closing down the Cutters lead to 5-2.
Williamsport would get one of those runs back thanks to a Trenton wild pitch that allowed Johnny Pilla to score, who reached via a leadoff walk, to make it a 6-3 Crosscutters lead through seven.
In the eighth inning, Williamsport capitalized on Trenton miscues once again as Taeg Gollert scored on a throwing error, Matthew Bardowell worked a bases loaded walk and Johnny Pilla scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-3 in the middle of the eighth. Trenton picked up their only earned run of the game in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single to cut the Cutters lead to 9-4 after eight.
Looking for insurance runs in the ninth, Williamsport struck for four more runs. Logan Johnstone drove in Matthew Graveline with an RBI single, who would also score three batters later on a Hayden Jatczak RBI single. Dylan Schaefer scored on another Thunder wild pitch and Johnny Pilla recored the final Cutters run of the ballgame by scoring on a Matthew Bardowell sac fly to make it 12-4 in favor of Williamsport.
Cade Davis earned the Opening Night win on the hill for the Cutters after a five-inning start. Davis allowed two runs, both unearned, on four hits with no walks and one strikeout.
Ryan Faulks earned his first hold of the young season after two innings of relief, allowing one earned run on one hit, three walks, and two strikeouts.
Merit Jones went the final two innings for Williamsport in a non-save situation, allowing one unearned run on one hit with no walks and two strikeouts.
Williamsport and Trenton will wrap-up their two-game season opening series on Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Trenton Thunder Ballpark. Live video will be available using the streaming links at Crosscutters.com or on the MLB.tv App.
