Working with a bullpen that had just one pitcher on more than one day of rest, the reliever coalition of Isaac Fix, Jared Ure, Davis Blair, Holland Townes, and Leo Giannoni would go a combined four and a third of an inning without giving up a run until a four run ninth inning from Frederick leveled the score.

The collapse moved the game to sudden death for the second straight night. With their last available reliever, Jed Boyle came in to pitch for the Cutters against the bottom half of the Frederick lineup.

Designated runner Isaiah Green would steal second on the first pitch, followed by a move to third on a Parks Bouck sacrifice bunt.

To complete the misery, catcher Matt Flaherty attempted a throw back to third, only for the ball to sail right of third baseman Joey Parliment. The wild throw scored Green, completing one of the most improbable collapses in recent memory.

Vantrel Reed of the Williamsport Crosscutters throws out Cam Hassert of the Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“I keep talking about dependability,” said Williamsport Crosscutter manager Kenny Thomas. “None of them are dependable. I have no idea what I get from day to day. You saw it right up there on the field today. No dependability in the ninth with the bullpen. No dependability bunting the ball. No dependability of coming home with a pass ball. I just, I don’t know.”

Coming into the game, Williamsport starter AJ Campbell had a 3.38 earned run average.

Campbell’s afternoon would not be as smooth as his usual standard, equalling a first pitch out with a Cam Pittman walk and a Cam Hassert single.

Cleanup batter Ethan Ott would come to the plate next. A power hitter with just four runs batted in on the season, the New Mexico transfer would add three more on one swing when he launched a sinker 364 feet off of a tractor beyond the left field bullpen for a three run blast.

Needing runs quickly, the top of the order for Williamsport would provide just that when a Vantrel Reed single and Jackson Mayo walk put two runners on. The pair would both whine up in scoring position for Max Mandler, who brought the pair in on a single to right field.

Carlos Castillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters celebrates a single in the second inning against Frederick at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The two run single was Mandler’s 16th and 17th RBI of the season, equalling Carlos Castillo’s mark for most on the team this year.

Williamsport continued to apply pressure against Frederick starter Paul Panduro, loading the bases with a pair of walks to Marcus Brodil and Joey Parliment.

Coming to the plate next was Rayth Petersen, who was batting a team worst .161 over the last two weeks. The eight hole hitter would make sure to put an end to the drought, singling to left field to score Mandler and Brodil to give the Cutters a 4-3 lead after one inning.

After a scoreless second, Williamsport would extend their lead in the third starting with a one out Marcus Brodil triple. With Brodil’s triple going down the right field line, Joey Parliment would do the opposite in the next at bat, slamming a double down the left field line to score Brodil.

Panduro would pitch another inning in the fourth before his afternoon finished, going four innings allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts.

Marcus Brodil of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the 3rd inning against the Frederick Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Frederick would get a run back in the fifth inning courtesy of the bottom of the order.

Eight-hole hitter Bronson Rivera would get the frame started with a lead off double, scoring on the next at bat from a Dylan Symonds RBI single.

Campbell would get a pair of outs before loading the bases on a Cam Hassert hit by pitch and Ethan Ott walk before being relieved. Campbell would be pulled from there, going four and two thirds of an innings while giving up four runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Coming into the game with the bases juiced, reliever Isaac Fix forced a Jamal Ritter flyout to preserve a 5-4 lead at the halfway mark.

Williamsport would respond in the bottom of the fifth inning leading off with Joey Parliment, who reached base on a throwing error from shortstop Cam Hassert. A pair of strikeouts later would bring up Vantrel Reed, whose four pitch walk advanced Parliment in scoring position.

Vantrel Reed of the Williamsport Crosscutters flips the ball to tea mate Max Mandler at first base to get out Isaiah Greene of the Keys during the 4th inning at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Cutter phenom Jackson Mayo would take it from there, slapping a basehit up the middle to score Parliment.

Carlos Castillo would increase the lead in the next at-bat, blooping a single to left field to bring home Reed and make it 7-4 Williamsport.

In his first time in three games batting in the top half of the order, Castillo would finish the day with two hits in six plate appearances that saw a stolen base and a run batted in.

Frederick wild pitches would be the catalyst for another Williamsport run in the bottom of the sixth. Matt Flaherty would lead off the inning with a hit by pitch, followed by three different wild pitches that would advance the catcher to second, third, and eventually home for an 8-4 score.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth innings were drama free for Williamsport, with the Cutters bullpen conceding just one base runner across the three frames.

Joey Parliment of the Williamsport Crosscutters is safe at second base on this close play from the 5th inning against the Frederick Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Some drama would bellow up in the ninth inning with closer Holland Townes. Pitching in the ninth inning in back to back games, Townes would get one out but load the bases with a Parks Bouch hit by pitch, Bronson Rivera walk, Dylan Symonds fielder’s choice that got Rivera out at second, and another walk to Trey Lipsey.

Townes would then be pulled for the submarine thrower Leo Giannoni. Giannoni would promptly exchange an out for a run when a Cam Pittman fielder’s choice drew a force out at second but scored Bouck in the process. Cam Hassert would make it a two run game in the next at-bat, singling to left field to score Symonds.

With Hassert representing the tying run, he would move to second on another RBI single, this time from Ethan Ott, to score Pittman.

Williamsport’s nightmares would be fully realized an at-bat later, when Jamal Ritter slapped a single up the middle to tie the game.

The Cutters would have a chance to win the game in regulation, with nine hole batter Marquis Jackson reaching all the way to third with two outs. With Randy Reyes on the hill, he would throw a wild pitch towards the Williamsport dugout. Astonishingly, Jackson was frozen at third. Castillo would strike out to send it to sudden death soon after.

“I saw the ball land in front of the first base dugout,” commented Thomas. “I saw the pitcher not cover home plate. I saw when the catcher finally got to it and picked it up, he threw it halfway up the third base line, and I saw [Jackson] still standing there. I have no earthly idea why. You have to be alert and ready to go.”

The loss drops Williamsport to 14-11 on the season, placing them now four games behind West Virginia who, ironically, won in sudden death Sunday afternoon. Williamsport will start an eight game road stand Tuesday, with the Cutters traveling to the Trenton Thunder for a three game set.

“Until they show some consistency and show what they can do everyday, I don’t know what to do with them,” concluded Thomas. “Today is the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in 20 something years of baseball. That was absolutely ridiculous.”

Max Mandler of the Williamsport Crosscutters celebrates a single in the 4th inning against the Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Carlos Castillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters connects on an RBI single in the 5th inning against Frederick at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Joey Parliment of the Williamsport Crosscutters doubles in the third inning against the Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Marcus Brodil of the Williamsport Crosscutters slides safely into third base as he triples in the third inning against the Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Marcus Brodil of the Williamsport Crosscutters triples in the third inning against the Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Starting pitcher AJ Campbell of the Williamsport Crosscutters pitches in the first inning to the Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Marcus Brodil of the Williamsport Crosscutters makes a catch in right field for the final out of the top of the 5th inning on a ball hit by Jamal Ritter of the Keys at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette