TRENTON, N.J. - The start of the longest road trip of the season did not go the way that the Williamsport Crosscutters were hoping as they fell to the Trenton Thunder by a score of 7-3 on Tuesday night in the first of three games at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
Williamsport only managed one baserunner in the first five innings after a two-out walk by Carlos Castillo in the second inning while Trenton jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
The first hit of the ballgame for the Cutters came in the top of the sixth inning as Rayth Petersen recorded his first triple of the season. Petersen would be joined on the basepaths by Vantrel Reed and Max Mandler after walks but all three would be left stranded.
It would take to the eight inning, with Williamsport now trailing 7-0, for the Cutters to finally find the scoreboard. TJ Racherbaumer and Rayth Petersen would both walk to begin the inning before a passed ball would move both into scoring position for Vantrel Reed. Reed would single into right field to plate both Racherbaumer and Petersen. Jackson Mayo would ground into a fielder's choice as he reached but Reed was called out at second. A walk worked by Max Mandler and a single by DeMarckus Smiley would move Mayo to third, who would score on a Carlos Castillo sacrifice fly to center to cut the Trenton lead to four at 7-3 in the middle of the eighth.
Williamsport would get TJ Racherbaumer aboard with his second walk in as many innings in the ninth, but he would be the only baserunner and would be left stranded as the ballgame came to an end with a 7-3 Cutters loss.
Starter Josh Leerssen took his second loss of the season after going five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Jared Ure would only make it two-thirds of an inning of relief after allowing four unearned runs on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
Jed Boyle wrapped things up on the hill, shutting out Trenton in two and a third innings of work, allowing two hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Williamsport and Trenton meet in the middle game of this three-game series at Trenton Thunder Ballpark on Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Cutters Carvings - Tonight's loss marks five straight losses for Williamsport, coming off the back of five straight wins... DeMarckus "DJ" Smiley made his Crosscutters debut tonight after being transferred from the West Virginia Black Bears on Monday... Williamsport is now 7-6 in 2025 against Trenton...
