Jun 18, 2025
Carlos Castillo of the Williamsport Crosscutters tries to make the play at second base as Eddie Hacopian of the Frederick Keys is safe at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The Williamsport Crosscutters received a win thanks to Mother Nature on Wednesday night by defeating the Frederick Keys, 6-4, at Bowman Field. The win came in controversial fashion for Williamsport.
The game was called midway through the seventh inning with Frederick winning 7-6. Due to MLB Draft League rules, since Williamsport did not have a chance to bat, the score reverts back to the sixth inning, which had Williamsport up 6-4.
Williamsport brought out Ryan Ure to start the game. Appearing for just the second time with Williamsport and first as a starter, he would get into trouble early with a Trey Lipsey double leading off the game.
Lipsey would score two batters later, with Dawson Willis driving home the leadoff man to make it 1-0. The Keys would continue loading the pressure, loading the bases with one away and prompting an early meeting at the mound.
But Ure stood tall, getting a force out at home and a strikeout to limit the early damage.
Matthew Bardowell of the Williamsport Crosscutters steals second base during the fifth inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
However, extra bases would befall the Cutters in the second, this time with one out as No. 9 hitter Truitt Madonna went to second on one in the gap. Madonna too would score two batters later, with Eddie Hacopian slapping a base hit to double the Frederick advantage.
Held with a whimper through four, Williamsport would come alive in the fifth starting with a leadoff Matthew Bardowell single. A spoiled double play ball would put Bardowell on second with Ryan Kennell at first and, with one out, an Armani Newton groundout put the pair in scoring position. A Boston Smith walk would load the bases, with the pair of Bardowell and Kennell scoring without another at bat. Bardowell would break the goose egg on a wild pitch, with Kennell scoring as Boston Smith got caught in an intentional run down, being tagged for the third out only after Kennel crossed home plate. The small ball shenanigans allowed Williamsport to tie things at two through five.
But two more Frederick runs would come in the sixth, starting with a pair of one out singles from Lance Trippel and Jose Silva. A Shane Lewis walk loaded the bases for Truitt Madonna, who would give the visitors the lead on a sacrifice fly.
Silva would tag to third in the process, and score in the next at bat when a bad throw from Boston Smith to reliever Tyler Dietz allowed Silva home to make it 4-2.
But Williamsport proved they were one to tango, quickly loading the bases to start the bottom half with a Taeg Gollert hit by pitch, Logan Johnstone single, and Hayden Jatczak walk. Facing an 0-2 count, Matthew Graveline did his part, blooping a single to left field that brought in Matt Ilgenfritz, who pinch ran for Gollert, and Johnstone to tie the game once again.
Matthew Bardowell of the Williamsport Crosscutters dives back to first base safely during the fifth inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The would last just one out, after a groundout moved two in scoring a position, a wild pitch from reliever Cooper Robinson brought in Jatczak to give the Cutters the lead right back. Another run would score in the inning from a groundout, making it 6-4 Williamsport.
And like the last lead change, Frederick had a response, with a leadoff Trey Lipsey walk and Eddie Hacopian single putting two on. A Tyler Dietz strikeout looked to have settled the waters, only for back to back RBI singles from Anthony Diaz and Lance Trippel to cut the sides level once again.
The Keys would get the go-ahead run on the base paths, with a perfectly executed double steal scoring Diaz to make it 7-6 midway through the seventh.
However, due to the Draft League rules, Frederick’s seventh inning comeback would not count, granting Williamsport the win.
The victory moves Williamsport to 7-3 on the season, keeping them in second position in the MLB Draft League. Williamsport will look for the two game sweep Thursday, with Williamsport hosting Frederick in the series finale at Bowman Field.
Matthew Bardowell of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the fifth inning against Frederick at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Tyler Dietz of the Williamsport Crosscutters throws to the Frederick Keys at Bowman Field. Dietz was consistently throwing about 96 mph and hit 99 mph on at least one pitch. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Ryan Kennell of the Williamsport Crosscutters gets the tag on Shane Lewis of Frederick at second base during the top of the sixth inning at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Logan Johnstone of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the sixth inning to tie the game against Frederick of the at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Hayden Jatczak of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores on a wild pitch during the sixth inning against Frederick of the at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Matthew Graveline of the Williamsport Crosscutters scores in the sixth inning against Frederick at Bowman Field. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Matthew Graveline of the Williamsport Crosscutters celebrates with team mates after scoring in the 6th inning against Frederick at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
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