University Park, Pa. - After blowing a 3-0 lead, the Williamsport Crosscutters rallied back in the ninth inning but would come up just one run short, falling to the rival State College Spikes by a final score of 8-7 on Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Williamsport opened the scoring in tonight's game in the top of the fourth inning. Max Mandler singled to lead-off the frame, followed by a Marcus Brodil walk. This was followed up by Carlos Castillo blasting a double to center field to score Mandler and move Brodil to third. Joey Parliment would walk to load up the bases and Matt Flaherty would capitalize with a sacrifice fly to push across Brodil. Rayth Petersen would follow up with a sacrifice fly of his own to score Castillo to give the Cutters a 3-0 lead before Joey Parliment was called out at second on appeal due to leaving early to end the Williamsport threat.
State College would answer back in the bottom of the fifth as an RBI groundout turned into two runs thanks to a throwing error by Cutters shortstop Carlos Castillo to make it one run game at 3-2 after five innings.
The Spikes struck for four more runs in the seventh and two runs in the eight to take an 8-3 lead into the ninth innings.
The Cutters looked to rally in the ninth with Joey Parliment leading off with an infield single, followed by a double by pinch-hitter TJ Racherbaumer and a walk by Rayth Petersen to load the bases. Two batters later, the debuting Braylon Bishop worked an RBI walk followed by DJ Smiley adding an RBI single. This brought up Max Mandler who hit a ground-rule double over the left field wall to pull the Cutters within one run. Unfortunately, Williamsport would be unable to push across the tying run and would fall 8-7.
Josh Leerssen was impressive for Williamsport in his third start since moving into the rotation, pitching six strong innings allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with two walks and nine strikeouts.
Isaac Fix took the loss tonight for Williamsport, falling to 1-1 on the season, after allowing three runs on no hits with two walks, a hit batter, and one strikeout in just one-third of an inning of relief.
Davis Blair suffered a blown save, his first, after allowing one run on one hit and one walk, also just lasting one-third of an inning.
Leo Giannoni went the final inning and a third, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Williamsport and State College continue this three-game series Wednesday night from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. in Happy Valley.
Cutters Carvings - Williamsport pitching only allowed five walks tonight... The Cutters were 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position tonight... Williamsport committed two errors tonight, one by Carlos Castillo and one by Joey Parliment...
