Ben Tryon of the Crosscutters celebrates after scoring in the first inning against State College at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Throughout history, superstitions are as intrinsic to baseball as the diamond itself. From not touching the foul lines in between innings, to isolating a pitcher on a potentially historic night, maybe a certain glove to wear or even an added accessory at the plate, superstitions are a driving force in a sport where nothing happens until it all happens at once.

Even in the age of analytics, where one can determine a launch angle from a tenth of a degree or one’s pitch to a hundredth of an angle, these superstitions remain a cornerstone for an athlete’s mentality going into any game, inning, or pitch.

The Williamsport Crosscutters are certainly no different, and with Williamsport undergoing their second-best overall start to a season in the MLB Draft League era, something about their day to day has certainly been clicking.

One tradition has become very apparent for the Williamsport fans: the jerseys are a lot more red at home this year.

A team that has historically followed into their tradition of a white home uniform, in between celebrations of the 100 year anniversary of Bowman Field, the Crossutters have made a shift to red for their traditional game nights.

After dropping its first two home games of the season to the West Virginia Black Bears, a bear of contests that saw the Cutters in primarily white uniforms, Williamsport’s bright red alternatives shined to preserve a win in the opening series 12-5.

That would be the first of a perfect 6-0 record for Williamsport when wearing their alternative red uniforms at home this season. In fact, going into the weekend, the Crosscutters are undefeated at home since the red jersey switched back on June 4 with only the Trenton Thunder having a better home record.

But separated from what takes place during the game, what about before it?

For Williamsport Crosscutter manager Kenny Thomas, who is in year three as a member of Williamsport’s coaching staff and approaching four decades as an overall baseball manager, old routines are hard to quit.

“You know, every year before the season starts, I tell myself I’m not gonna stick with the same rituals,” joked Thomas. “And the next thing you know, I’m putting the same leg into the pants first, and I’m spitting in the same spot in the dugout… (For me) it’s a routine, because I’m a real routine guy, just like practice.”

For the good to go a ballclub’s way, sometimes the most innocuous needs to be relied on. 

Vincent Barone, a Data Coordinator for the Crosscutters during the 2026 season, may be the biggest catalyst for Crosscutter success in the eyes of the superstitious. During a contest that was set to be a Williamsport win in Trenton only for rain to cancel the game outright, it just so happened to be the day that Barone shagged his first flyball during batting practice. 

“We were one and four in Trenton, and I was just sitting there and I missed running around the field,” described Barone. “The next day my family brought a glove and I caught two balls in BP.”

Then Williamsport kept winning.

A return to shagging flies after two losses against Trenton, and their Barone was catching one the afternoon before another Cutters win. Then came another. Then came another.

Going into the weekend, Williamsport have now become impregnable when Barone catches a flyball, with a tough to argue nine wins and no defeats that put the analytical revolution to shame.

“It’s nice because everyone has a thing,” echoed Barone. “Whether that be a superstition or a ritual, everyone has something that helps them get in their state and ready.”

The Crosscutters are in the midst of a pennant chase going into the weekend. With one and a half games separated from the Trenton Thunder going into Saturday, the Cutters will have eight games to make up the deficit and clinch a third first-half title in the MLB Draft League era.

Suffice to say, expect Barone to be getting his steps in during batting practice all the way until the end.

“There’s a little bit of pressure now,” Barone joked. “Everyday some players are like ‘Did he catch one? Did he catch one?’ They like to laugh about it, which is fun.”