Frederick, MD – Keys held scoreless and drop the series finale 5-0 to the Crosscutters on Thursday night. After two explosive nights at the plate the Keys bats were cooled by the Crosscutters pitching staff.

The Crosscutters and Keys pitchers allowed no runs through the fourth inning in a showdown on the mound.  However, Hunter Viets surrendered the first runs of the game when the Crosscutters plated three runs in the top of the fifth inning.

Garrett Wallace led off the top of the fifth and reached on a throwing error by Keys shortstop, Logan Thomason.  The next batter, Matthew Garcia flew out.  Then, Ben McNaughton bunted and safely reached first base which allowed Wallace to advance to second. Viets loaded the bases when he walked Brayland Skinner.  Tyler Lasch drove in two runs when he doubled and was followed by an Adam Becker single that drove in the third run of the inning, making 3-0 Crosscutters.

The Crosscutters would add three more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Cameron Hagan took the mound for the Keys and surrender back-to-back singles to start the inning. With Byars on second and Wallace on first, Garcia executed a sacrifice bunt to advance the Crosscutters baserunners.  Hagan committed a throwing error while fielding the bunt and allowed Byars to score. Wallace and Garcia both advanced a base as well on the throwing error.  Wallace scored on a Hagan wild pitch, extending the lead to 5-0. McNaughton singled on a ground ball to Thomason. Skinner followed and grounded into a double play, but drove in Garcia. Hagan walked Lasch before he struck out Becker to end the inning.

The Keys failed to rally and dropped the series finale to the Crosscutter.

The Keys head to Trenton for a weekend series against the Thunder.

Notes:

• Shaun Gamelin pitched 6.1 innings, allowed no-runs and struck out 9 batters.