The Williamsport Crosscutters battled their way back from an early six-run deficit to pull to within one run of the Auburn Doubledays, but they couldn’t find the equalizer in an 8-6 defeat on Friday night at Bowman Field. Williamsport and Auburn ended up splitting the four-game series and also split the season series, 6-6.

Gabriel Yanez was sensational for Williamsport (31-42) in 5 2/3 innings of relief work, retiring 17 consecutive batters. The 20-year-old from Venezuela had the longest outing of the season for any Crosscutters pitcher while also racking up more consecutive outs in a single game than any hurler on the team.

Corbin Williams became the fifth Crossutter ever to record 30 stolen bases in a season and is in line to ecome the fifth in team history to win the league’s stolen base crown as well.

Auburn (28-45) raced out to a 7-1 lead in the second inning against Spencer Van Scoyoc (L, 4-4) and then had to hold on from there.

Bryson Stott was 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBI and two runs scored. Jake Holmes was 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs including a sacrifice fly. Nate Fassnacht was 2 for 4 with an RBI as well.