GRANVILLE, W. Va. – After trailing 5-0 at the midpoint of Tuesday night’s game, the Williamsport Crosscutters would rally but end up suffering their first loss of the 2025 season, falling to the West Virginia Black Bears by a 7-6 final at Kendrick Family Ballpark.

Lefty Hayden Smith struggled in his first start in a Cutters uniform as he allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in just three innings of work.

Smith was relieved by Jonny Lowe, who was also unable to stop the bleeding. Lowe would allow an additional two Black Bears runs on another four hits with one strikeout in two innings of relief, giving West Virginia the 5-0 lead after five innings.

It was at this point that the Williamsport offense would wake up from their slumber. Matthew Bardowell got it started with a leadoff walk and would immediately score on an RBI triple off the hot bat of Logan Johnstone. Following a walk by Matthew Graveline, a wild pitch would allow Johnstone to score before a second wild pitch moved Graveline to third. Taeg Gollert would pick up an RBI with a groundout that plated Graveline. That would be followed with Armani Newton driving a single to center and advancing into scoring position on yet another wild pitch, setting up Ryan Kennell to plate the final run of the inning as he singled to center to score Newton and pulling Williamsport back within one run at 5-4 in the middle of the sixth.

West Virginia would get one of the runs back in the bottom of the frame off of new Cutters reliever Jared Ure. Ure would allow that one run off of two hits while striking out two in his only inning of work.

The Crosscutters would respond to tie up the ballgame in the top of the seventh as after a Johnny Pilla leadoff walk and a Logan Johnstone two-out walk, Matthew Graveline would come up big with a line drive triple off the right-center field wall to tie the game up at 6-6 at stretch time.

Easton Davies would be called out of the pen and throw a clean seventh but allowed the winning run to score in the eighth. He would suffer his first loss of the season after 1.2 innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit with two walks and one strikeout.

Dakota Stone would be the final pitcher out of the Cutters bullpen, coming into relieve Davies and would strike out the only batter he would face.

The Crosscutters were able to get the tying run aboard with two outs in the ninth but couldn't complete the comeback, falling 7-6 to the Black Bears.

Williamsport will face West Virginia again on Wednesday night at Kendrick Family Ballpark in the middle game of this three-game road series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with LHP Cade Davis (1-0, 0.00) expected to get the start for the Cutters.

The Cutters return to Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field on Friday night to open a six-game, seven-day homestand against the Trenton Thunder and the Frederick Keys. Great seats are still available that 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 - Matthew Graveline threw out three would-be base stealers tonight, bringing his season opponent stolen base percentage to .417... Logan Johnstone's batting average remains at .500 for the season after a 2 for 4 night at the plate... Williamsport was 3 for 8 tonight with runners in scoring position...