NILES, Ohio - A change from the usual evening start to an early morning start was not the change needed to spark the Williamsport Crosscutters as they suffered their eighth straight loss to start the month of July, falling to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers 11-3 on Wednesday at Eastwood Field.
Much like yesterday, Williamsport's offense got started early as Amman Dewberry led things off with a ground-rule double to right, followed by back-to-back walks by Joey Parliment and Michael Zarrillo to load the bases. Two batters later, the Cutters would score as Max Mandler grounded into a fielder's choice that was coupled with a throwing error to allow both Dewberry and Parliment to score to give Williamsport a 2-0 lead after a half inning of play.
Mahoning Valley wasted no time responding, striking for five runs in the bottom of the first inning and tacking another run on in the third to make it 6-2 Scrappers after three innings.
In the fourth inning, Williamsport would get a run back as Max Mandler got a lead-off infield single, stole second and advanced to third on a balk call. This would set up Jack Lausch to drive in Mandler on a Sac Fly to center field.
This would unfortunately be the last time in the ballgame that Williamsport would find the scoreboard as Mahoning Valley would score five more in the seventh and eighth innings to make it an 11-3 final score.
Cutters starter Cade Davis took the loss, falling to 1-3, after being unable to complete the first inning. Davis went two-thirds of the first inning allowing five runs, four earned, with one walk and no strikeouts.
Sam Swygert entered in place of Davis, finishing off the first and going the next two innings allowing one additional Scrappers run on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
Dakota Stone was the most effective relief pitcher today, allowing no runs and no hits over two innings with two walks and two strikeouts.
Josh Leerssen struggled in relief, allowing three runs on just one hit with three walks and two strikeouts in one and a third innings.
Tyler Dietz would work an inning of relief spread over two game innings, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Infielder Carlos Castillo would be asked to face the final three Scrappers batters, recording a walk, a sac fly, and a flyout in his two-thirds of an inning of work.
The Cutters will now look to avoid their fourth straight series sweep on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Scrappers at Eastwood Field.
Cutters Carvings - The Crosscutters were just 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position today after being 2 for 9 last night... Williamsport has been outscored 87-21 in the month of July... Williamsport can be eliminated from contention for the MLB Draft League First Half Championship tonight with a win by either the State College Spikes (vs Frederick) or the West Virginia Black Bears (vs Trenton)...
