Cutters Spoil Koplove's Return

Williamsport, P.A.- It took a 10^th inning walk off single from Josh Stephen, but the Williamsport Crosscutters were able to hand former Cutter Kenny Koplove and the Batavia Muckdogs a 6-5 loss.

The Crosscutters didn't waste much time getting on the scoreboard, getting their first two batters on board as Nick Maton was struck by a pitch, which was followed by a Raul Rivas single into center.
After a Jake Scheiner douple play, Greg Pickett served a Alex Mateo offering into shallow left field to score Maton and give the Cutters a 1-0 lead and Pickett his fourth RBI of the season.
Batavia would answer back, taking their first lead of the series against Cutters starter Luis Carrasco in the top of the 3^rd inning. Harrison White drew a lead off walk, which was followed up by a Sam Castro single.
Carrasco surrendered a one out walk to Lazaro Alonso to load the bases. With Jhonny Santos at the plate, Carrasco uncorked a wild pitch that allowed White to score from 3^rd base and the other runners to advance a base. It tied the game at 1-1.
Sam Castro crossed shortly after on a fielders choice from Jhonny Santos to give the Muckdogs an early 2-1 lead. For Santos, it was his second RBI of the season.
Jhailyn Ortiz responded for Williamsport in the bottom of the 3^rd, driving a Mateo offering over the left field wall for a solo home run. It was Ortiz's second home run of the season and gave him his fifth RBI of the season.
The Crosscutters would retake the lead in the bottom of the 4^th inning, getting a RBI triple to depp right center off the bat of Josh Stephen, scoring Greg Pickett from 1^st base, putting Williamsport ahead 4-2. It was Stephen's second triple of the season and his fourth RBI.
Batavia would not go quietly, in the top of the 9^th, the Muckdogs strung together three straight one-out singles to load the bases against Cutters reliever Addison Russ. With the bases loaded, Russ walked Thomas Jones to plate David Gauntt to make it a 4-3 ball game.
With two outs and two strikes on Jhonny Santos, Russ had a pitch get away from him to the backstop that allowed Harrison White to score the tying run and move the go ahead run to 3^rd base.
Russ was able to get Santos looking for the final out of the 9^th inning.
Batavia again strung together a series of back-to-back base hits with one out in the top of the 10^th inning. Harrison White then drove a Luis Ramirez pitch two out single into shallow left to score Tyler Curtis and give the Muckdogs a 5-4 lead.
Former Crosscutter Kenny Koplove entered in the top of the 10th looking for his second save in a Muckdogs uniform, but a feilding error by shortstop Micah Brown that allowed Jake Scheiner to reach 1^st. Scheiner was pinch run for by Jesus Alastre.
After Alastre swiped 2^nd base, Greg Pickett worked a walk against Koplove to put the tying and winning runs on base with no body out. Koplove then walked Jhailyn Ortiz to load the bases for Williamsport with no outs. Juan Luis entered to pitch run for Greg Pickett at 2^nd bases to represent the winning run.
Cole Stobbe worked a bases loaded walk against Koplove, scoring Alastre from 3^rd base to tie the game at 5-5. It gave Cole Stobbe his sixth RBI of the season, which leads the club.
Josh Stephen followed the Stobbe walk with a RBI single into right field, allowing Juan Luis to score from 3^rd base and give the Crosscutters the 6-5 walk off victory in extra innings. It was Stephen's second RBI of the night an gave him his fifth RBI of the season.
Koplove was handed the loss, his first of the season as well as his first blown save as a member of the the Batavia bullpen.
The Crosscutters conclude their three-game series against the Batavia Muckdogs tomorrow night at BB&T Ballpark. Kyle Young looks to earn his second win of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Cutter Carvings - Josh Stephen has both Crosscutters triples, with his 1^st coming in the season-opener at State College... The Crosscutters now have 27 extra base hits on the season...Three of the Cutters four walks came in the bottom of the 10^th inning... The Cutters improved to 1-1 in extra inning games with the win...