UNIVERSITY PARK - After playing 75 games, the hopes and aspirations of advancing to the postseason for the Crosscutters rested on the outcome of the final game of the regular season.
In a position where they could control their own destiny, the Cutters came up a little short of their destination as a result of a 6-2 loss to the State College Spikes, coupled with Jamestown's 10-9 win over Mahoning Valley on Sunday.
"The guys played hard all year and it was a good year for us," said Cutters manager Chris Truby. "State College played a good game and for seven innings, so did we. That is the way it goes, but I am just happy with the way the guys went out and battled. When you are dealing with the half-game situation, you have to win out basically and although it is tough, it was a good experience for these players."
David Buchanan started and worked the first six innings. He was charged with two runs while scattering seven hits. Buchanan struck out two, walked two and hit one Spikes batter.
"Outstanding. He (Buchanan) was outstanding," Truby said. "He gave us six innings and gave us a chance to win and that is all you can ask for. He competed tonight and he has been solid for us all year. He came up big for us in a big situation."
Colton Cain started for State College and worked the first four innings. He registered 17 first-pitch strikes (11 swinging) on the 19 batters he faced. "I think we overswung early in the game," said Truby. "I think we could have put them in a hole early because their starter wasn't throwing a whole lot of strikes. We swung at a lot of balls early in the game, but we still made it a game and had a chance (to win) until the bottom of the eighth when we let it get away."
The Spikes drew first blood in their first at-bat when Mel Rojas Jr. singled to center, stole second, moved to third on Kelson Brown's groundout and scored on Matt Curry's RBI line single to right.
Down 1-0, the Cutters took the lead (2-1) with single runs in the third and fourth innings.
In the third, Cesar Hernandez singled to center and advanced to third on a single to right by Aaron Altherr.
Jeff Lanning flew out to short right field for the second out of the inning and when State College right fielder Cole White hesitated on the throwing the ball back to the infield, Hernandez broke for the plate and with a nicely executed hook slide, slid around an attempted tag by Spikes catcher Miguel Mendez for the Cutters' first run.
In the fourth, Carlos Alonso doubled to right-center and with two outs, scored on Edgar Duran's RBI double down the right-field line.
Trailing 2-1, the Spikes tied the game with a run in the fifth before literally walking their way to a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Williamsport pitchers issued three free passes, one intentional, in the seventh inning. The second free pass, a four-pitch walk to Matt Curry, forced in Brown with the go-ahead run.
In the last two innings, Truby used four pitchers to stop the bleeding, but by that time, it was too little, too late as the Cutters' season came to a screeching halt.
"It kind of got away from us there at the end," said Truby. "When you are faced with that, you are trying to match up, hoping that this guy can get a ground ball and kind of play guys to their specialties. I hope the kids learned from it and it was a good experience to be in a race like this and have a chance to go to the playoffs. Hopefully they will benefit from it down the road."
