From there, Williamsport’s defense would shine, with a Seung-Jun Cha 6-4-3-6 double play creating the first two outs and clearing the bases. Another excellent defensive play would promptly end the game, when a Hayden Moore pop up was chased down in foul territory by Carlos Castillo to win the game for Williamsport.

“We tried to turn a double play that was going to be tough,” said Williamsport Crosscutter manager Kenny Thomas. “And how in the world we threw it away and then Hawaiian picked it up, and it was like a quarterback. Perfect throw. It couldn’t have been a better throw.

Hawaiiian refers to new Cutters first baseman Safea Villaruz-Mauai, who added a sudden death web gem to his two for four effort at the plate.

“That’s the weirdest double play you’ll ever see,” echoed Thomas.

Carlos Castillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters tries to tag out Seung-Jun Cha of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers during the second inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Mahoning Valley would get things going in the top of the first inning, when an 11 pitch at-bat from Max Johnson drew a leadoff walk.

The speedster would quickly advance to second for Chase Nixon, who would bring in Johnson on a single down the first base line.

But the Crosscutters would find a response in the bottom half of the frame, starting with a pair of walks to Vantrel Reed and Rayth Petersen to put two aboard. With one out, up stepped Cutters first baseman Safea Villaruz-Mauai, who would make his first appearance as a Cutter. The Hawaiian would leave a decent first impression, slapping a single to right-center that brought in Reed to tie the game.

Williamsport had the potential to add more when a Max Mandler single loaded the bases, but would ultimately keep it at one when a Michael Zarillo double play ball halted the frame.

Mahoning Valley would take advantage in the second, sparking a two out rally led by a Seung-Jun Cha single. The South Korean would swipe second with Hayden Moore at the plate, who scored Cha on a go-ahead single to shallow right field.

Vantrel Reed of the Williamsport Crosscutters holds of the ball as Seung-Jun Cha of the Scrappers reacts to beind tagged out during Sudden Death at second base at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Williamsport would ultimately pull ahead in the bottom of the fourth inning, beginning with a Max Mandler walk. A Michael Zarillo single would bring in Carlos Castillo, who would snag his eighth RBI on the season with a single that brought in Mandler to tie the game.

The tie would break in the next at-bat, when Matt Flaherty blooped a single to shallow right field to score Zarillo for Williamsport’s first lead.

A Marquis Jackson sacrifice fly would score Castillo, knocking out Mahoning Valley starter Tyler Johnson in the process. The right hander would go three and two thirds of an inning pitched, allowing three runs on five hits while conceding three walks.

It would be a solid shift for Williamsport starter Reilly Shaffer. In line for his first win of the season, Shaeffer would go five and two thirds of an inning pitched allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts to his name.

His third allowed run would come in the fifth inning with him on the bench, with the starter being pulled after allowing a single and a hit by pitch. With Isaac Fix in the game, the reliever would concede a soft single up the middle from Seung-Jun Cha to score Carson Hornung and cut Williamsport’s lead to one.

Safea Villaruz-Mauai of the Williamsport Crosscutters gets an RBI single during the first inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Mahoning Valley would tie the game an inning earlier, with Patrick Roche representing the tying run after a one out double that one-hopped off the left field wall.

Roche would score two batters later, when Dreylin Holmes found barrel on a similarly hit ball down the left field line that brought in Roche to make it 4-4.

Mahoning Valley would complete their comeback in the ninth inning, immediately putting themselves under threat with a Patrick Roche walk and Chase Nixon double. Dreylin Holmes would take it from there, launching a long flyout to the left field warning track that scored Roche and gave the visitors the lead back.

But Williamsport wouldn’t go quietly in the bottom of the ninth, getting a run across from a Rayth Petersen groundout that brought in Vantrel Reed from third to tie the game.

Williamsport would have a golden chance to end it in regulation, with the bases loaded and one out. But Mahoning Valley reliever Grant Manning would survive the frame, forcing two shallow flyouts to send it to Sudden Death.

Safea Villaruz-Mauai of the Williamsport Crosscutters tags out Chase Nixon of the Scrappers out at first to end the first inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

And it would prove to be third times the charm for the Crosscutters in sudden death. After dropping their first two sudden death fixtures of the season, defense and pitching showed out as Williamsport picked up their third straight win.

“Well, I thought we were gonna win it there in the ninth and not go into a sudden death,” admitted Thomas. “But we enjoy doing things the hard way. I haven’t figured out why we enjoy it, but we do.”

The dramatic victory moved Williamsport to 7-6 on the second half season, good for third place in the MLB Draft League season. Williamsport will look for their second straight series win Wednesday night, when they host the Scrappers in game two of the three game set at Bowman Field.

Starting pitcher Reilly Shafer of the Williamsport Crosscutters throws in the first inning against the Scrappers at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Michael Zarrillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the 4th inning against Mahoning Valley at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Michael Zarrillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the fourth inning against Mahoning Valley at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Max Mandler of the Williamsport Crosscutters celebrates after scoring in the fourth inning on a hit by Carlos Castillo against the Scrappers at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Max Mandler of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the 4th inning on a hit by Carlos Castillo against the Scrappers at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The Williamsport Crosscutters celebrate their Sudden Death victory over the Scrappers at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette