MORGANTOWN — Luis Espiritu drove a double to deep left-center field to tie the game in the top of the 9th inning, but the Cutters were unable to score another run as they fell to the West Virginia Black Bears in the series finale, 4-3, in extra innings.
West Virginia took advantage of a Cole Irvin lead off walk in the bottom of the 3rd inning that allowed Kevin Krause to reach. After a wild pitch and a groundout moved Krause to 3rd base, Will Craig plated Krause with a RBI single to give West Virginia a 1-0 lead.
Williamsport responded quickly, getting a lead off double in the top of the 4th inning from Evan Rogers. David Martinelli plated Rogers with a one-out single into left-center to knot the game at 1-1. For Martinelli, it was his 20th RBI of the season, making him the first Cutter to the mark this season.
The Cutters defense faltered in the bottom of the 5th inning, leading to a pair of runs for the Black Bears. With the bases loaded and two outs, Albert Baur popped a Cole Irvin offering into shallow right. Second basemen Luis Espiritu called for the ball but had it pop out of his glove allowing Nick King and Kevin Krause to score. The error gave the Black Bears a 3-1 lead heading into the 6th inning.
Enmanuel Garcia got the 9th inning rally started with a double, high off the top of the wall in left-center to give the Cutters a runner in scoring position. Luis Encarnacion followed by drawing a walk, and was then lifted for a pinch runner in Jesus Alastre.
Luis Espiritu, in efforts to make up for a pair of errors, ripped a Matt Fawley offering deep to left-center that chased home both Garcia and Alastre to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the 9th with one out.
Williamsport was unable to get Espiritu home from 2nd base.
Julian Garcia entered in the 6th and was outstanding in relief, tossing four shutout innings to keep the Cutters in the ballgame. Garcia allowed one hit and a pair of walks while striking out a career-high eight West Virginia batters.
Luis Espiuritu finished the night 1-for-4 with the two run double, which was his 5th of the season. The two RBI were his 5th and 6th of the year. David Martinelli finished the night 2-for-5 with an RBI. Martinelli is the first Crosscutter to 20 RBI this season.
West Virginia was able to walk off the Cutters in the bottom of the 10th inning, but not before Evan Rogers made a highlight reel stop on a backhand at 3rd base that started the around-the-horn doubleplay to get the first two outs of the inning.
After the doubleplay, the Black Bears were able to work back-to-back walks from Albert Bauer and Hunter Owen. Chris Harvey delivered a single into centerfield which was played by David Martinelli, who threw home.
The throw was off line to the first base side allowing Albert Baur slide in safely to score the game-winning run against Will Hibbs and give the Black Bears the walk-off win.
Cole Irvin allowed three runs, one earned, over five innings in his start tonight for Williamsport. Irvin walked three batters and struck out three more while taking the no decision.
Will Hibbs suffered his third loss of the season, allowing the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning with two outs. Hibbs allowed two hits and two walks while failing to strikeout a batter.
West Virginia takes the regular season series against the Cutters, five games to four, winning five of the last seven games in the series.
Williamsport heads back home as they start a six-game homestand. The first three-game set will be against the Brooklyn Cyclones tomorrow night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
Cutter Carvings – West Virginia took the regular season series against Williamsport, winning five of the nine games, including five of the last seven…Williamsport’s elimination number in the divisional race dropped to 3 with the loss and the Spikes win…The Cutters elimination number fell to 9 with the Cutters loss and the Staten Island win…The Cutters fall to 6-4 in extra inning games this season.
