WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Williamsport bounced into four double plays as they were unable to avoid the series sweep to the Trenton Thunder, falling 6-2 on Wednesday night at Journey Bank Ballpark.
Crosscutters starter, Bailey Matela, suffered his first loss of the season. The Old Dominion product allowed three runs (two earned) over three innings. It was Matela’s shortest start of the season. The lefty struck out one batter and battled his command for most of the outing.
Williamsport had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the 3rd inning, loading the bases against Thunder starter, Jude Abbadessa. Boston Smith drew a walk, plating Amman Dewberry to make it a 3-1 deficit. Matthew Bardowell followed by grounding into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play, the second of the night for Williamsport.
Trenton expanded their lead with two runs in the 5th inning and another in the 6th, both against reliever Josh Leerssen who made his Crosscutters debut. Leerssen surrendered the three runs on four hits over three innings.
Armani Newton sparked the Cutters in the bottom of the 7th inning, ripping his second triple of the season into the right-center gap and was plated by a RBI single from Amman Dewberry to make it a 6-2 deficit. Unfortunately for Williamsport, Carlos Castillo would ground into another 4-6-3 inning-ending double play, the fourth of the night.
Despite two scoreless innings of relief from Jed Boyle and a single inning of scoreless relief from Brad Rudis, the Cutters were not able to muster any more offense, being limited to six hits in the loss.
Williamsport hits the road to start a two-game, home-and-home series with the State College Spikes tomorrow night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Cutters Carvings: The four double plays grounded into by the Crosscutters is a new season-high… The Cutters were outscored 27-7 in the brief two-game series…Williamsport holds the top spot in the MLB Draft League standings by half a game…
