Emmett Bice of the Crosscutters celebrates retiring the Frederick batters at the end of the 5th inning at Journey Bank Ballpark. The Cutters won 3-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

WILLIAMSPORT– You never know who’s going to step up in the big moments.

For the Williamsport Crosscutters on Sunday afternoon, it would be Parker Kruglewicz. The righty reliever came into the game with a one-run lead in the top of the eighth with no outs and the tying run at second.

What followed can only be described as utter dominance. Kruglewicz would take control, retiring the remaining six batters in the ballgame as Williamsport took a crucial 3-2 victory against the Frederick Keys at Bowman Field.

“Pitching wins baseball games,” said Williamsport manager Ryan Hanigan after the win. “Parker came in and shoved. Straight dominance. He’s a back-end guy, he was in college. He pitched well.”

After three run-filled games in this series, the beginning of the fixture was a breath of fresh air, with starters Emmett Bice of Williamsport and Beau Blanchard of Frederick putting in three clean frames each allowing a combined two total hits.

Pitcher Jacob James of the Crosscutters slaps hands with kids as the run the bases after the Cutter’s game Sunday evening at Journey Bank Ballpark. The Cutters won 3-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The deadlock would break in the fourth frame in favor of the Cutters with back-to-back singles by the top of the order in Levi Perrell and Jacob Corson placing runners at the corners. It was the second time all game a runner advanced to scoring position.

And Williamsport would get the run across to take the lead a batter later, when cleanup batter Mark Shallenberger grounded into a double play. Frederick traded a run for two outs, allowing Perrell to score from third and open the scoring for Billtown.

But it would only take half a frame for Frederick to counter, when a walk and single from Brandon Hylton and Elijah Dickerson placed runners once again at the corners to start the fifth inning. It was only a one-for-one deal this time around, with a slow groundout from Darryl Buggs scoring Hylton and tying the game.

The bottom of the order would respond in the bottom of the inning for Williamsport, with Cory Taylor reaching on a fielder’s choice and swiping second with two outs. With Ethan Kiple at the plate, the righty native would net his first run batted in this season, slapping one to the left side that deflected off the diving glove of third baseman Kennan Taylor and into the outfield. The deflection created enough time for Cory Taylor to score and put Williamsport back up 2-1.

That unfortunate run would end the outing of Beau Blanchard, who would give up two runs and four hits over 4 2/3 innings pitched. Blanchard, who pitched just one inning coming into the start, kept it close despite the lack of run support.

Emmett Bice of the Crosscutters throws in the second inning against Frederick at Journey Bank Ballpark. The Cutters won 3-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Befitting the pitcher’s duel, Emmett Bice would exit an inning later with just a one run cushion. Coming off a season in which he allowed two runs over three innings, the West Chester native would give up just one run and three hits over six innings of terrifically pitched baseball.

A concerning moment would occur for the Cutters in the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Muncy native Corson launched a double to the right center wall but was seen clearly limping on his way to second. Corson was immediately checked on by manager Ryan Hanigan and athletic trainer Kesha Garcia before being removed from the game for Will Binder.

“He’s got a hamstring deal,” said Corson. “He’s walking around on it… It’s not torn, just a strain, so he’ll be down for a few days.”

Jacob James (1-0) would come in relief for Bice in the top of the seventh, and immediately ran into trouble when back-to-back singles from Elijah DIckerson and Darryl Buggs put two on to start the inning. A groundout to the right side later, and the two were in scoring position.

James would show resolve against Derrick Mayes II, striking him out on a one-two pitch to bring up the top of the order in Tremayne Cobb Jr.

Mark Shallenberger of the Crosscutters loses a ball hit by Darryl Buggs of Frederick in the second inning at Journey Bank Ballpark. The Cutters won 3-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

In the end, Cobb would prevail, slapping a single to left that scored Dickerson and tied the game at two.

In what became reminiscent of a back-and-forth boxing match, Williamsport would deliver a strike back in the bottom of the seventh against Gage Bihm (0-1). It would start with Cory Taylor, who would reach on a one-out walk and steal second to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. A ground out would put Taylor at third for nine-hole hitter Mikey Florides, who would beat out an infield two-out single down the left side to score Taylor and allow the Cutters to retake the lead.

That would be the decisive run, with Kruglewicz closing out the ballgame the rest of the way and securing an important win for the Cutters.

“We know what we got to an extent,” added Hanigan. “The rules are starting to develop, which is what you need when you want to win games, especially every day.”

The win moved Williamsport to 2-2 in the second half campaign, securing a series draw against Frederick to start the post MLB Draft season.

Jacob Corson of the Crosscutters singles in the 4th inning against Frederick at Journey Bank Ballpark. The Cutters won 3-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

After a day off Monday, the Cutters will embark on a mid-week road trip to the Mountain State, where they will take on the West Virginia Black Bears in a three-game slate starting Tuesday.

Parker Kruglewicz of the Crosscutters throws in the top of the 8th inning at Journey Bank Ballpark. The Cutters won 3-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette