“A lot of times a team gets a breath of relief when a guy that’s been mowing you down, and they bring someone else in,” said Williamsport Crosscutter manager Kenny Thomas. “Even though those guys were pretty good that were brought in, but you get a breath of relief. You think ‘whew, that guy is out of here. Thank goodness.’ I think that was part of it.”

After getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first, the Cutters would make their powerful entrance in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Brodey Acres would continue his sensational summer in Williamsport with a high drive to left field that cleared the outfield wall. Acres’ 372-foot shot was his third home run of the season and 25th RBI of the campaign.

After stranding runners in the first, Trenton would make sure to follow through in the second. Facing Williamsport starter Josh Willits, Trenton would get two on with a Ty Stecko reach by error and a Casen Taggart walk. The pair would reach scoring position from a Louis Percival sacrifice bunt to set up Cy Turner, who equalized the game on a groundout to second that brought in Stecko.

After a scoreless third inning, the Thunder would take their first lead of the game in the fourth. After a leadoff battle, Casen Taggart and Louis Percival would reach on a walk and a single with both moving to scoring position off of steals. Both would come across to score in the next two at-bats, with the former coming in on a Cy Turner sacrifice fly and the latter rounding the bases from a Julian Swift double.

Starting pitcher Josh Willits of the Crosscutters throws in the first inning against Trenton at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

That sequence would prove to be the end for Josh Willits, with the right hander conceding three runs on three hits with three walks and six strikeouts. On the other side of the diamond, Trenton starter Cooper Carlgren would turn heads and shine on his MLB Draft League debut, conceding just one run through six innings with a walk and six strikeouts.

“The starter there was really good,” admitted Thomas. ” We were sitting there in the seventh inning with two hits and one run, and one of them was a homerun that was in the first inning. He was changing pitches alot.”

With Carlgren relieved, the Cutters would immediately put pressure in the seventh inning. James McCoy would respark the crowd early with a leadoff double, followed closely by a Sam DeCarlo hit by pitch. The pair would execute a double steal in the next at-bat, putting the tying run in scoring position.

And when back-to-back strikeouts further heightened tensions, nine-hole pinch hitter Nicholas Romano would provide the crowd pop they were looking for on a game tying single up the middle that made it a 3-3 ballgame.

But the Cutters wouldn’t be done, with an Owen Prince single moved the go ahead run in scoring position.

Brodey Acres of the Crosscutters celebrates his first inning home run with team mate Ehi Okojie against Trenton at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

As the unassailable voice of Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” reigned in Brodey Acres to the plate, Dean’s breathtaking voice would match the swing of the bat from Acres when he ripped a double down the left-field line. The double scored Prince, giving the Cutters their first lead since the first inning.

After a Ehi Okojie hit by pitch loaded the bases, the game would be slammed closed by Loyalsock graduate Nick Barone, who launched a third double of the inning to center field that brought two more Cutters home.

Further insurance for Williamsport would be provided in the eighth, starting with a leadoff Sam DeCarlo single. The Cutters would soon load the bases with one out, reaching on a Jake Zitella double and a Nicholas Romano hit by pitch. Owen Prince would continue his exploits, lining out to right field to score DeCarlo.

But it would be the voice of Dean that would haunt Trenton once more. With Acres at the plate and Dean’s voice still echoing, the shortstop would slam another double to right field to bring in two more and complete the 8-3 win.

The win moved Williamsport to 4-1 on the second half season, good for first place in both the second-half standings and overall standings. The Cutters will look to increase their winning streak on the road Tuesday, with Williamsport taking the hour drive west to visit the State College Spikes for a three-game set.

Brodey Acres of the Crosscutters scores in the 7th inning against Trenton at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Brodey Acres of the Crosscutters watches his first inning home run fly over the left field wall against Trenton at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Jake Zitella of the Crosscutters tags out Casen Taggert of Trenton to end the top of the 6th inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

James McCoy of the Crosscutters celebrates a double against Trenton during the 7th inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette