GRANVILLE, W.Va. - Despite taking an early 7-0 lead in the middle of the second inning, the Williamsport Crosscutters fell to the West Virginia Black Bears 15-8 on Tuesday night to conclude the series at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
Williamsport's offense exploded for multiple runs to begin the game. Vantrel Reed would single to open the game, followed two batters later by a Marcus Brodil single. TJ Racherbaumer would then add his sixth double of the season with a fly ball to right, scoring Reed and moving Brodil to third. Carlos Castillo singled to center to drive both Brodil and Racherbaumer across the plate. DJ Smiley would continue the hit parade with a single followed by a Braylon Bishop walk to load the bases. They wouldn't stay loaded long thanks to Joey Parliment who crushed a bases clearing double to left field to cap the inning and giving Williamsport the early 6-0 lead after a half inning.
The Cutters tacked on another run in the second as Marcus Brodil absolutly got ahold of a slider and turned on it 110.2mph to drive it 431 feet over the center field wall. Brodil's fourth lumberjacked ball of the season pushed the Williamsport lead to 7-0 in the middle of the second.
West Virginia would take total control of the game from that point, scoring four in the second, one in the third, and three in the fourth to take an 8-7 lead heading to the fifth.
Williamsport would tie the game back up in the top of the fifth inning. DJ Smiley doubled, his seventh of the season, to start off the inning. Two batters later, he would score on a Rayth Petersen single to left to make it 8-8 and cap the Williamsport scoring for the night.
West Virginia would score seven unanswered runs over the remainder of the game to take the 15-8 victory.
Reilly Shafer was the Williamsport starter and only lasted two innings, allowing four runs on four hits, including a home run, with one walk and no strikeouts.
Isaac Fix went the next 1.1 innings, allowing four more runs on 2 hits with four walks and no strikeouts.
Jared Ure took the loss tonight, his second of the season, after 3.1 innings of relief that saw three runs scored on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Jax Howard only worked a third of an inning and allowed four runs on four hits with three walks and no strikeouts.
David White went the final inning and shut out West Virginia, allowing just one walk and one hit.
Williamsport and the rest of the MLB Draft League will be off on Wednesday before the Cutters open a two-game series against the State College Spikes on Thursday. Thursday’s game will be played at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park and Friday’s game will be played at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. First pitch for both nights is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Cutters Carvings - Williamsport out-hit West Virginia 16-14... Williamsport loses the season series against West Virginia 4-13... With tonight's win, West Virginia has officially clinched the MLB Draft League Second Half Championship and will face the First Half Champion State College Spikes in the MLB Draft League Championship Game on September 4th in State College...
