Williamsport, Pa. - Williamsport plated seven runs in the bottom of the 9th, falling short of the comeback, in their 14-9 loss to West Virginia on Monday night.
West Virginia had a stronghold on the game through the first seven innings, mainly due to the strong start from lefty Hunter Holzmer, holding the Cutters scoreless through six innings while striking out six.
The Black Bears offense followed suit, scoring runs in each of the first four innings and in seven of the nine total frames, using eight extra base hits, including three home runs to jump out to a 14-0 lead in the 8th.
Chris Stanfield finally got the Cutters on the board in the bottom of the 8th with a two-out, two-run single that kicked out of the sliding glove of center fielder, Elijah Cook’s glove. Owen Prince and Carson Bayne each scored on the play to make it 14-2.
After Caleb Anderson worked a scoreless top of the 9th, Nick Barone ripped a double to left, followed by a Jack Kail single and a Sam DeCarlo hit by pitch to open the bottom of the 9th.
Barone scored on a Louis Castano wild pitch to cut the deficit to 14-3 before Owen Prince plated Kail with a sacrifice fly to left field, making it 14-4.
After a Jake Zitella single to center, putt runners on the corners, West Virginia 3rd basemen Owen Petrich’s error allowed Carson Bayne to reach to load the bases.
Nick Romano popped out for the second out leaving the bases loaded for Chris Stanfield, who would reach on an error by the first basemen Ben Barrett, scoring DeCarlo to make it 14-5 and keep the bases loaded.
James McCoy kept the rally going, ripping a bases-clearing double to right, scoring Zitella, Bayne and Stanfield, bring the Cutters with in six at 14-8. The three RBI upped McCoys tally to 21 for the season.
Barone’s second hit of the inning chased home McCoy to make it 14-9 and gave Barone his second three-hit game in eight days.
The rally and game came to an end on a Jack Kail pop up behind the plate.
Williamsport looks to take the rubber match of the series Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Journey Bank Ballpark.
Cutters Carvings: Nick Barone extended his league-leading on-base streak to 26 games… Chris Stanfield has collected 19 singles over his last 15 games, while not recording an extra base hit over that stretch…The Cutters allowed season-high’s with 14 runs allowed, 18 hits allowed and five doubles allowed in the loss…
