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Crosscutters suffer 5-2 loss at Bowman Field on Monday to State College

By NICOLAS SEVERINI 3 min read

The Williamsport Crosscutters dropped their final regular-season home contest Monday night, losing to the State College Spikes 5-2 at Bowman Field.

Plagued with three errors and lack of opportunity at the plate, the Cutters' quest for both championship halves remain a game-and-a-half away from the Spikes and Aberdeen Ironbirds.

"I rested my middle infielders, but besides that I really went to win the game," echoed Williamsport Crosscutter manager Kenny Thomas. "Yes, I shortened pitching tonight. But you know, we pitched OK. But it's really tough (to manage) the championship game Wednesday night."

The first third of the contest was dominated by the starting pitching duo of State College wing Trey Cehajic and Williamsport right hander Kenney Fabian. The pair, who came in with earned run averages of 4.89 and 9.24 respectively, shut out the score line across the first three innings of the game.

But State College would look to break the deadlock in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with no outs on singles from CJ Richmond and Justin Journette with a walk issued to Camden Ross.

A strikeout would bring up Jackson Rains, who pulled the Spikes ahead of a two run single down the left field line.

An Ethen Swidler single tee'd up Kyle Singer, who recorded his first RBI as a Spike before his first hit when a flyout to left field scored Ross from third.

The Cutters would look to replicate State College's efforts in the fifth inning, loading the bases with two outs on walks to Santino Panaro and Chris Stanfield with a James McCoy hit by pitch. Cehajic would keep his slate clean, however, striking out Matthew Williams on a full count pitch to strand the runners.

That would prove the cherry on top of Cehajic's performance, shutting out the Cutters across five and a third of an inning with five hits, three walks, and six strikeouts.

State College would look to slam the door shut in the seventh inning, getting the bases loaded without a recorded hit from walks to Jett Buck and Cj Richmond parlayed with a Justin Journette hit by pitch. Continuing the trend, a Camden Ross hit by pitch directly after made it 4-0.

After struggling at the plate all night, the Cutters would find a breakthrough in the bottom of the seventh starting with a leadoff Joey DeMucci single. A one out Chris Stanfield double put two in scoring position for James McCoy, who broke the goose egg on a deep flyout to center field that tagged two.

With Stanfield at third, he'd only need to trot home off the bat of Matthew Williams when he ripped a single to left field that cut the lead to two.

The Spikes would respond with a crucial insurance run in the eighth. With a runner at third, a wild pitch from reliever Davin Pollard allowed Ethan Swidler to score and make it 5-2 to the visitors.

That would be the final nail against Williamsport, who were unable to get any runs in despite the tying run coming to the plate in the ninth inning.

The loss drops Williamsport to 27-18 on the second-half season, still remaining in striking distance from the State College Spikes and Aberdeen Ironbirds for the second half championship. The Cutters conclude their regular season Tuesday at State College before hosting the Draft League Championship on Wednesday.

Starting at /week.