On a night in which the Cutters donned Williamsport Grey’s uniforms in honor of the 100-year anniversary of the ballpark, it would be mistakes from the field and soft bats that would grey the festive affair.

“We made three errors, and two were crucial,” said Williamsport Crosscutters manager Kenny Thomas following the loss. “We pinch-hit in the seventh, and we had to shift our defense around because we’re missing a third baseman for workouts today.”

Walsh University standout Brodey Acres would cause the first ripple in the bottom of the first, slapping a single from a nine-pitch at-bat and stealing second to put a runner in scoring position. West Virginia starter Gabe Smith would put a snuff to an early advantage however, forcing two shallow flyouts and a groundout to end the first shelf clean.

West Virginia would attempt a similar run in the top of the second, snagging runners at the corners with two away. This time defense would shine when Williamsport third baseman Kyle Schupmann’s spinning throw to first stranded the runners. It was the second inning in a row to have been completed by the wonders of Schrupmann, who’s bag handed snag and fire seized the first.

Catcher Steele Burd of the Crosscutters looks back to the backstop for the ball as Santos Wade of Mahoning Valley scores in the eighth inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Overall the first third of the contest was defined by weak contact and astute defense, with one total error and three singles through the first three.

A seamless three innings would conclude the outing for Williamsport starter Kurt Barr. The Michigan Wolverine would shut out the Black Bears across three innings and 50 pitches that saw just one hit, two walks and four strikeouts.

Smith’s shutout run would seize in the bottom of the fourth inning, starting with an Owen Prince walk which the cleanup batter parlayed into a stolen base three pitches later. Unbeknownst to Smith, the right hander would accidentally engage onto the bag before disengaging, allowing Prince to take third. Two batters later, the cleanup hitter would break the deadlock when a Ben Tryon two strike flyout sent home Prince for the opening run.

Smith would get out of the fourth inning before being relieved, finishing with one earned run on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Coming off a season where careless mistakes defined the ballclub, Williamsport would give a harsh sequel in the fifth on a two-out rally starting with a walk to Kahanu Martinez. A Marcus Bradshaw slap single and wild pitch later, and two would move to scoring position for Santos Wade. Wade would flip the momentum with one swing, slapping a two run single up the middle to make it 2-1 at the halfway mark.

Owen Prince of the Crosscutters looks up as he’s called out at second after he was tagged by Santos Wade of Mahoning Valley at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

But more small-ball heroics got Williamsport going in the seventh inning. Facing reliever Quentin Poohorski, two walks in three plate appearances from Kelly Robertson and pinch hitter KJ White would place runners at the corners courtesy of a Robertson stolen base.

In total, the Cutters would go 7 for 8 on stolen bases in the contest.

“That’s one thing I realized real quick when I got my roster was that we were gonna be able to run,” echoed Thomas. “I also had two more on the bench that didn’t play tonight that can also fly. So we’ve got guys that can run.”

With the top of the order up next, the game would be tied when Brodey Acres grounded softly to short allowing Robertson to cross home with the infield in its normal configuration. Acres’ RBI tied the game at 2-2 after seven.

But more Williamsport mistakes would create their resting place in the eighth, when a leadoff Santos Wade double and a Luke Stulga walk prompted the entry of reliever Will Bartkoski. The submarine slinger’s second pitch would subsequently go wide, moving runners in scoring position for Wills Maginnis.

KJ White of the Crosscutters tries to tag out Marcus Bradshaw of Mahoning Valley in the eighth inning at Bowman Field. Mahoning Valley won 5-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Maginnis would subsequently put a ball in play to second baseman KJ White, only for the middle infielder to short hop the throw home to the backstop clearing the bases. A similar fate befell shortstop Addison Smith, who would airmail a Ty Dalley grounder the very next at bat to bring in Maginnis and make it 5-2.

The loss drops Williamsport to 0-1 on the season, joining the likes of the State College Spikes and Aberdeen Ironbirds who also failed to capture a win on opening day. The loss also snapped a two-game streak of opening day wins for Williamsport.

The Cutters will look for redemption on Wednesday with Williamsport hosting West Virginia in game two of the three-game slate. First pitch at Bowman Field is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

KJ White of the Crosscutters tries to field a ball hit by Marcus Bradshaw of Mahoning Valley in the eighth inning at Bowman Field. Mahoning Valley won 5-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Will Bartkoski of the Crosscutters throws in the eighth inning against Mahoning Valley at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

KJ White of the Crosscutters throws out Marcus Bradshaw of Mahoning Valley in the eighth inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette