Cutters Mauled In Series Finale

Morgantown, W.V.- Even a season-high 14 hits could not get the Williamsport Crosscutters a win, as they fell 11-6 to West Virginia in the series finale.

It was a promising yet foreshadowing start for the Williamsport Crosscutters, getting on the board in the bottom of the 1st inning thanks to a pair of back-to-back two-out doubled from Adam Haseley and Greg Pickett to give Williamsport a 1-0 lead. 
West Virginia would answer back with a two-out run of their own in the bottom of the inning, getting a RBI single from Tristan Gray to score Bligh Madaris to knot the game at 1-1 against Cutters starter Will Stewart.
The game would be tied until the top of the 4th inning, started off with the Crosscutters getting their first three batters on base, capped by a RBI single from Jhailyn Ortiz to give the Cutters a 2-1 lead.
After a strikeout, Josh Stephen and Austin Listi recorded back-to-back singles, with Listi plating Greg Pickett to extend the Cutters lead to 3-1 and load the bases with just one out.
Black Bears starter Scooter Hightower proceeded to strikeout Gregori Rivero and get Nick Maton to line out back to the mound in consecutive at bats to leave the bases loaded and kept the Cutters advantage at 3-1.
The Black Bears chipped at the Cutters lead, again using a two-out run. Sandy Santos drove a Will Stewart offering to the wall in left field, scoring Jose Barraza from 2nd base. It cut the Williamsport lead to 3-2.
West Virginia threatened in the bottom of the 5th inning, chasing Stewart with the tying run at 3rd base and the go-ahead run at 1st. Pat Borders made the call to the pen, getting Connor Brogden.
Brogden faced struck out the next two batters to end the threat and preserve the Crosscutters 3-2 lead heading into the 6th inning.
Gregori Rivero added on to the Crosscutters lead, following an Austin Listi one-out single with a two-run home run down the right field line to extend the lead to 5-2 in the top of the 6th. It was Rivero's 1st home run of the season and 5th in a Cutters uniform.
Brogdon tossed a scoreless 6th inning, but ran into trouble in the 7th inning, allowing a walk and a ground rule double with one out to give the Black Bears runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. 
Jhon Nunez replaced Brogdon, inheriting the two base runners. The next five West Virginia batters reached base, highlighted by a RBI fielders choice from Jose Barraza to make it 5-3. 
With two outs in the inning, Lucas Tancas followed with an RBI single to make it 5-4, and Sandy Santos gave the Black Bears their first lead with a two-run double to left making it 6-4. 
Andrew Walker singled home Santos to cap the scoring in the bottom of the 8th inning, giving West Virginia a 7-5 lead.
Josh Stephen brought the Cutters within one with his first home run of the season, ringing it off the foul pole down the right field line to make it 7-6. 
That would be the final run scored by Williamsport on the night however, it would not be the last run scored overall.
In the bottom of the 8th inning. West Virginia used a two-run triple from Tristan Gray and a two-run home run from Jose Barraza to extend theirlead to 11-6. Both run scoring hits came off of Jake Kelzer, with one run charged to Nunez and the other three going to Kelzer.
Williamsport returns home with a quick turn around as they play host to the State College Spikes at BB&T Ballpark. Julian Garcia goes for his second win of the season as first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
Cutter Carvings - Greg Pickett's three-hit night extended his hit-streak to a season-high six games... 10 of West Virginia's 11 runs came with two out in an inning... The Crosscutters have 12 home runs through 14 games in 2017, setting a pace for 65 on the season... Williamsport is now 1-5 against West Virginia this season...