GRANVILLE, W. Va. - After starting the season at 3-0, the Williamsport Crosscutters were swept by the West Virginia Black Bears in a road series at Kendrick Family Ballpark, falling in the series finale by a 4-2 final score on Thursday night to fall to 3-3 on the year.
Williamsport opened the scoring for the second night in a row in the top of the first inning. Ryan Kennell led things off with a line drive single to right and moved first-to-third on a double by Armani Newton. Two batters later, Kennell scored on a RBI groundout by Hayden Jatczak to make it 1-0.
West Virginia would respond in the bottom of the second as Connor Hicks doubled to lead-off the frame and scored on a wild pitch by Denton Biller two batters later to tie the game at 1-1 after two innings.
The Cutters would retake the lead in the top of the fifth inning with Johnny Pilla and Ryan Kennell recording back-to-back singles. Armani Newton would make it three-straight with a RBI single that scored Pilla and made it a 2-1 ballgame.
The Black Bears didn't waste any time responding this time as Ben Zeigler-Namoa homered to right-center to tie it back up at 2-2 through five.
The tie would hold until the bottom of the eighth inning as West Virginia would plate two more runners. Williamsport would be unable to respond in the ninth as the Black Bears completed the sweep with a 4-2 victory.
Denton Biller got the start for Williamsport, going the first three innings and allowing just one run on one hit with 2 walks and four strikeouts.
Merit Jones went the next four innings and was strong in relief, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
Brad Rudis would take the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season, after managing just 0.1 innings pitched and allowing two Black Bears runs on one hit with one walk and no strikeouts.
Dakota Stone would end the West Virginia threat, going the final 0.2 innings of no-hit baseball while walking one and striking out two.
Williamsport now returns home to Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field to open a six-game, seven-day homestand. That homestand begins Friday night at 6:35 p.m. against the Trenton Thunder with LHP Bailey Matela (1-0, 3.60) expected to get the start for the Cutters.
Great seats are still available the upcoming homestand plus all remaining 2025 Cutters home games. Get your seats online now at Crosscutters.com/Tickets, visiting the Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field Box Office or by calling the Cutters Hotline at 570-326-3389.
Cutters Carvings - With tonight's loss, Williamsport falls to 3-3 on the season... Ryan Kennell improved his season batting average to .467 with a 2 for 3 night... Williamsport was just 1 for 9 tonight with runners in scoring position...
