In another nip and tuck affair, it would be a four run rally for West Virginia in the sixth inning that ultimately separated the top two teams in the Draft League.

“I knew I had [starting pitcher Kade Grundy] on a pitch count,” said Williamsport Crosscutter manager Kenny Thomas, who sent out Grundy for the sixth inning in his second start. “He was at 52 [pitches] went I sent him out there so I thought maybe we’d get six out of him. He did a great job, but we talk about it all the time, how we have to be dependable out of the pen. I have to know what I’ve got.”

Williamsport’s league leading offense would draw blood in the bottom of the first, with a Jackson Mayo one out double quickly sweetening the pot. Two batters later, Matt Flaherty would bloop a single to right field and, thanks to Mayo’s acceleration, score the runner on a bang-bang play at the plate.

But small ball antics would allow West Virginia to equalize a half inning later. The main parties would be Jace Rinehart and JT Carter, who would go to third and first off of a hit by pitch from the former and a single by the latter.

Jackson Mayo of the Williamsport Crosscutters celebrates his double in the first inning against West Virginia at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

With two outs forming from a flyout and batter’s interference, Carter would attempt to steal second before stopping halfway. In the midst of a rundown, Rinehart would come in to score before Carter was tagged out allowing the Black Bears to level the scoring.

After a scoreless third, Williamsport would get back in front to end the fourth starting with another double, this time off the bat of Matt Flaherty. The catcher would advance to third on a groundout and, one batter later, come home on a Michael Zarillo sacrifice fly.

West Virginia starter Gavin Braunecker would recover for a solid outing on the night, going five innings while allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts.

The top of the sixth would be where West Virginia took their first lead, with the visitors quickly putting two in scoring position on a Jordan Peyton walk and Drew Collins double.

Judah Morris would tie the game up in the next at bat, securing a flyout to center field that brought in Peyton.

Jackson Mayo of the Williamsport Crosscutters slides home safely in the first inning against West Virginia at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The Black Bears would take the lead in an at-bat later courtesy of Alex Ungar, who sent a sky-high popup in between the lines for a double to score Collins. The double also knocked out starter Kade Gundy, who finished with four runs conceded on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

The extra runs would come with the right hander in the dugout, with Sam Swygert conceding a Jace Rinhart hit by pitch and a JT Carter walk to juice the bases. Landon Frei would provide the carousel another coin in the next at-bat, getting another flyout to center to bring in Ungar.

The rally would complete on the base paths, with Carter at third and Rinehart at first executing a double steal to score West Virginia’s fourth and final run of the inning and put the Bears up 5-2.

Williamsport’s loss would be solidified in the eighth inning, when Alex Ungar reached base on a strikeout, with a wild pitch on the third strike allowing the cleanup batter to reach first.

Ungar would quickly prove he had speed in his game, stealing second without a throw followed by a swipe to third.

Matt Flaherty of the Williamsport Crosscutters connects on a first inning single against the Black Bears at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

With one out and the infield in, designated hitter JT Carter lined one right off of reliever Jared Ure. With the ball hitting off of his glove, Ure recovered and looked to have made an easy throw to first, only for the ball to drift first baseman Michael Zarillo off of the bag.

With astute baserunning, Ungar went on the throw, giving West Virginia a run despite the Black Bears not recording a walk or hit in the inning.

“We gave them two runs and we lost by two,” echoed Thomas. “That’s about as simple as you can put it.”

Billtown would claw back in the bottom of the eighth inning, netting lead off singles from Carlos Castillo and Jackson Mayo. Castillo would score in the next at bat, when Mandler secured another single.

Mayo would score two batters later courtesy of Marcus Brodil, who brought in his fellow South Florida teammate on a groundout to third.

Jackson Mayo of the Williamsport Crosscutters connects on his first inning double against West Virginia at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

But that would be all the juice Williamsport had left, with the Black Bear bullpen holding out for the 6-4 win.

The top half of the lineup would keep Williamsport in the game as Jackson Mayo, Max Mandler, and Matt Flaherty all had two hit games in the loss.

The loss drops Williamsport to 14-8 on the second half season, with Billtown also dropping behind the Black Bears in the second half standings. First place in the second half will be determined Friday night, with Williamsport hosting West Virginia in the biggest rubber match of the season so far.

“It’s a big game tomorrow for sure,” concluded Thomas. “But there’s still plenty of them that are all big, and you have to realize that everyday is so important.”

Jackson Mayo of the Williamsport Crosscutters celebrates with team mates after scoring in the first inning against West Virginia at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Carlos Castillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters fields a ball hit by Jordan Peyton of the Black Bears during the first inning at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Michael Zarrillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters tries to tag out Jordan Peyton of the Black Bears in the first inning at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Carlos Castillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the bottom of the 8th inning against the Black Bears at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette