WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Williamsport was unable to make an early 5-1 lead stand, falling 11-6 to West Virginia in the series finale on Friday night at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
Max Mandler and the Williamsport offense got off to a great start, plating three runs in the 1st inning. Mandler’s RBI double opened the scoring. Marcus Brodil followed with a RBI single and a sacrifice fly from Michael Zarrillo, gave the Cutters a quick 3-0 lead.
Reilly Shaffer entered looking for his first win and ran with the early support, allowing a run through his first three innings.
Carlos Castillo continued the early offense for Williamsport, cracking a two-run double off the left field wall to give the Cutters a 5-1 lead through three innings. It was the fifth double of the season for Castillo and his 16th RBI.
West Virginia got a run back in the top of the 4th but broke out in the top of the 5th, plating four runs against Shafer to take a 6-5 lead. The biggest blow, a bases-clearing double from D.J. Smiley that gave the Black Bears the lead for good.
The Black Bears added a run n the 6th and the 8th, before plating three more runs in the top of the 9th inning.
Mandler picked up his second RBI of the night in the bottom of the 9th, plating Vantrel reed with a RBI single to make it 11-6. Mandler upped his RBI total to 15 on the season.
With the loss Shafer falls to 0-4 on the season, still searching for that elusive first win.
West Virginia takes the series and now holds a two-game lead over Williamsport for the top spot in the 2nd half standings.
The Crosscutters will now host the Frederick Keys for a quick two-game series starting Saturday evening. First pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Cutters Carvings: Mandler finished the night 3-for-5, raising his batting average to .387… It was Mandler’s third, three-hit game of the season and his first of the second half… Vantrel Reed was the only Cutters batter to not get a hit in the loss…Williamsport falls to 3-11 against the Black Bears this season with three more scheduled meetings…
