WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Safea Villaruz-Mauai made a significant impact in his debut, helping the Crosscutters to a Sudden Death victory over Mahoning Valley on Tuesday night at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
Villaruz-Mauai didn’t waste any time contributing at the plate, ripping a RBI single to center, scoring Vantrel Reed to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the 1st.
Williamsport’s offense got to work in the bottom of the 4th inning, plating three runs to take their first lead of the night. Carlos Castillo got the scoring started with a RBI single, scoring Max Mandler from 2nd base to tie the game at 2-2.
Matt Flaherty added with a single up the middle, that ricocheted of the 2nd base bag, allowing Michael Zarrillo to cross and give Williamsport a 3-2 lead.
Marquis Jackson capped the scoring with a RBI sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Castillo to make it a 4-2 Williamsport advantage.
Crosscutters starter, Reilly Shafer, delivered his longest outing of the season. The right hander worked 5-2/3 innings while allowing three runs. Shafer set a season-high, striking out five batters in the no decision.
Mahoning Valley was able to claw back, scoring a pair of runs against the Cutters bullpen to take a 5-4 lead in the top of the 9th inning.
Vantrel Reed opened the bottom of the 9th with a walk, allowing the tying run to reach. After Reed reached 3rd on a throwing error, Rayth Petersen plated Reed with a RBI ground out to tie the game at 5-5.
Williamsport managed to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the 9th, but a line out from Michael Zarrillo and a fly out by Castillo left the winning run at 3rd base, sending the game to Sudden Death.
In Sudden Death, Villaruz-Mauai made his best play of the night, on a throw from Reed sailed past the 1st basemen. Villaruz-Mauai rounded up the errant throw, spun and delivered a strike to 2nd base to retire Seung-Jun Cha for the 2nd out.
Holland Townes retired the next batter, Hayden Moore, to seal the victory for the Crosscutters.
The Crosscutters look to run their current win streak to four-straight Wednesday night as they again face the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Journey Bank Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. with Hersheypark Kids Night and another Wing Wednesday.
Cutters Carvings: Williamsport improves to 1-2 in Sudden Death in 2025… The Cutters move to 4-3 and have won three-straight against the Scrappers… Villaruz-Mauai finished the night 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and he drew the first Intentional Walk for Williamsport in the 2nd half…
Sudden Death Play By Play
Williamsport chooses defense for Sudden Death.
Pitching Change: Holland Townes replaces Josh Leerssen.
Ian Francis is the placed runner at first base.
Seung-Jun Cha grounds into a fielder’s choice. Ian Francis is out at second Carlos Castillo to Vantrel Reed. Seung-Jun Cha is out stretching at second, Safea Villaruz-Mauai to Vantrel Reed. Two outs.
Hayden Moore pops out to Carlos Castillo. Three outs.
Williamsport defeats Mahoning Valley in Sudden Death.
Holland Townes (WIL) – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (8 pitches, 6 strikes)
