Final Score- Williamsport 4 Trenton 7
Trenton, NJ– The Cutters continued their struggles on the road this season, falling 7–4 in game one against the Trenton Thunder. Trenton scored three runs in the eighth to break a 4–4 stalemate.
The Cutters scored a run from their first four batters of the game for a 1–0 lead. Left fielder Matthew Etzel and first baseman Tayden Hall walked while second baseman Isaac Nunez singled to load the bases. Third baseman Daniel Harris IV grounded out to bring Etzel home. Two strikeouts ended the inning, leaving runners stranded at second and third.
The Thunder tied the game in the bottom of the first, then took the lead in the third scoring a run in each inning. Both runs came from sacrifice flies by Ryan McCarthy and E.J. Esposito.
The Cutters quickly got a run back and then took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Catcher Jax Cash and shortstop Travis Holt both singled while designated hitter Lance Logsdon walked to load the bases. Center fielder Michael Gupton hit a soft groundball to the pitcher who airmailed the catcher allowing the tying run to score. Nunez gave the Cutters a 4–2 lead with a two-run single.
Cutters starter Riley Gowens had a solid outing on the mound giving up two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts over four innings.
Trenton tied the game with a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning by Andrew Cossetti.
Nick Palumbo took the mound in the bottom of the sixth, tossing a scoreless inning. He came back on for the seventh finding himself in trouble with runners in scoring position. The righty threw a strikeout and forced a pop-up to get out of the jam.
The Cutters bats struggled as the game went along getting only one hit in the next four innings following their three-run fourth inning.
Trenton retook the lead late in the game, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Thunder got a runner to first from a dropped third strikeout. After a walk from the next batter, Nathan Ochoa doubled to centerfield to take a 5–4 lead. After loading the bases, a walk and a wild pitch scored runs to make the game 7–4.
The Cutters went down in order in the ninth inning to drop game one of the series with Trenton. The Cutters have struggled on the road with a 3–8 record but remain on top of the Draft League standings with a 16–11 overall record and a two-game lead.
The Cutters look to even the series tomorrow night for game two at Trenton with the first pitch at 7:00 p.m.
Cutters Carvings: Lex Garcia struck out four batters in just the eighth inning … four Cutters pitchers combined to throw 13 strikeouts … Tayden Hall leads the league in on-base percentage (.509) … the Cutters have scored the most runs in the league with 167 … the Cutters also have highest team ERA in the Draft League (5.53) … the Cutters are 3–8 in road games.
