In total, Williamsport’s two errors didn’t help a 15 hit showing for West Virginia bats.

“My biggest concern is after they scored the four runs in the fifth, we shut it down,” admitted Williamsport Crosscutter manager Kenny Thomas. “Our whole attitude, our whole defense, our offense, everything shut down. That’s a little concerning. In my old days, I would make some changes to put somebody in there that wasn’t gonna do that. But I have to depend on these guys not to shut it down.”

Williamsport’s in-form offense would get things started in the bottom of the first, with Vantrel Reed reaching on an error from former Cutter Jordan Peyton to start the frame. Jackson Mayo would come up next, extending his team high 11 game hitting streak with a single to right field.

Williamsport would break the gooseeff in the next at-bat courtesy of Max Mandler, who blooped a single down the leftfield line to score Reed. Williamsport doubled the advantage in the next plate appearance with Marcu Brodil, who got back to form on a single to left field, scoring Mayo.

Joey Parliment of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the third inning against the Black Bears at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Designated hitter Michael Zarillo came to the plate next, sacrificing an out for a run on a high flyer that was caught on the warning track by right fielder Alex Ungar. The flyout managed to score Mandler, who would only need to jog to the plate on the tag from third.

West Virginia would break their goose egg in the top of the third, loading the bases off of a Jake Berg double, Jordan Peyton walk, and Drew Collins single. The Black Bears would get one run off of the bases loaded situation, netting Berg home on a Judah Morris sacrifice fly.

The Cutters would respond with a two run burst in the bottom of the frame, starting with a two out single from Michael Zarillo. Another single from Joey Parliment would put two on base for Carlos Castillo, who sent the pair in on a double off the left field wall.

West Virginia looked to have made a big blow in the top of the fourth. With one out and Jace Rinehart on first, Landon Frei would elevate a ball deep 341 feet to left field. Destined to land in the visitors bullpen, left fielder Jackson Mayo would play robber with an acrobatic leap to make the catch and rob Frei of his first Black Bear homerun.

Rinehart would manage to score in the next at-bat, when Jake Berg launched a high flyer to right field just beyond the outstretched glove of Marquis Jackson for an RBI double. Williamsport starter Reilly Shafer (0-4) would run into further trouble in the fifth inning, conceding three straight singles to Jordan Peyton, Drew Collins, and Judah Morris, the latter of which scored Peyton. A flyout and Jace Rinehart walk later, and Shafer would be pulled from the game.

Leo Giannoni of the Williamsport Crosscutters pitches in the 9th inning against the Black Bears at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

With the bases juiced and one out, Jed Boyle would come into the high leverage situation against designated hitter DeMarcukus Smiley.

Smiley, who is batting .424 on the season, won the battle when he uncorked a bases clearing double off the right field wall to give the Black Bears a 6-5 lead.

Williamsport’s fielding would be the catalyst in another West Virginia run in the top of the sixth inning. Nine hole hitter David Coppedge would start the chaos with a leadoff single. The runner would attempt to steal second, with a Jordan Peyton grounder allowing Coppedge to get to second with ease. On the throw, Coppedge would get greedy in attempting to go for third. On the throw back to third, first baseman Max Mandler would sail the ball wide, allowing Coppedge to score from first on a ball that never left the infield.

Astonishingly, West Virginia would do the same exact thing in the eighth inning when Jordan Peyton worked a two out walk to put a man on. The former Cutter would steal second base with Drew Collins at the plate.

Collins would chop a soft grounder to short, only for shortstop Carlos Castillo to air mail the throw to first. Having never stopped running, Peyton would easily score to make it 8-5.

The Williamsport Crosscutters celebrate after an inning ending catch by Jackson Mayo during the fourth inning after Mayo robbed a home run from Landon Frei of the Black Bears at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

West Virginia would put the cherry on top in the ninth inning, getting three more runs across on a two run double from DeMarckus Smiley and an RBI groundout by Jake Berg.

Williamsport’s last gap would come in the bottom of the ninth, with Mandler garnering his second RBI on the day on a single to right that scored Vantrel Reed.

It would be a career day for Smiley, with the designated hitter going two for four with a pair of doubles and four runs batted in. Smiley would be one of six Black Bears to have a multi-hit game, joining Drew Collins, Judah Morris, Alex Ungar, Jace Rinehart, and Jake Berg.

For Williamsport, Max Mandler and Marcus Brodil would both stand out with the pair combining for five hits and three runs batted in. Jackson Mayo also recorded a hit, extending his hitting streak to 11 games and his on base streak to 18 fixtures. Both marks are the most for a Cutters player this season.

The loss drops Williamsport to 14-9 in the second half season, planting themselves two games behind West Virginia for first in the second half season.

Coach Josh Carman pitching coach celebrates a catch by Jackson Mayo of the Williamsport Crosscutters during the fourth inning after Mayo robbed a home run from Landon Frei of the Black Bears at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Williamsport will look for redemption Saturday night, with the Cutters hosting the Frederick Keys in a two-game series.

Joey Parliment of the Williamsport Crosscutters singles in the third inning against the Black Bears at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Starting pitcher Reilly Shafer and catcher TJ Rachbaumer of the Williamsport Crosscutters walk off the filed after the end of the second inning against the Black Bears at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Carlos Castillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters fields a ball hit by Jace Rinehart of the Black Bears during the second inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Max Mandler of the Williamsport Crosscutters tries to make the play at first on Jordan Peyton of the Black Bears at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Reilly Shafer of the Williamsport Crosscutters throws in the first inning as the Cutters play the Black Bears at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette