Morgantown, W.V. – Bryson Stott doubled home the winning run in the top of the 10th in a crazy 8-7 win at the West Virginia Black Bears on Monday night. The Crosscutters had a 7-0 lead in the sixth inning on the strength of a five RBI performance by Hunter Hearn but the Black Bears battled back to force extras.
Hearn clobbered his fourth homer of the season in the first inning and blasted a three-run, bases-clearing double to dead-center in the fourth on his big night. Jake Holmes was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. And Corbin Williams was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and three runs scored including the winning run in the 10th. Williams re-took the NYPL lead in stolen bases with 28.
The winning hit for Williamsport (26-37), off the bat of Bryson Stott to right-center, was almost denied on a spectacular diving effort by West Virginia center fielder Brett Kinneman but the ball came out of his glove as he landed.
West Virginia (34-28) almost tied the game again in the bottom of the 10th but pitcher Rafael Carvajal (S, 3) fired out a runner at home after a one-hopper back to the mound. Then second baseman Nate Fassnacht made a terrific diving, sliding catch to his left on a hard liner to end the game.
The Crosscutters improved to 16-10 in the second half of the season after going 10-27 in the first half.
Williamsport returns from the NYPL All-Star Break on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. hosting the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (CLE) with LHP Junior Tejada the probable for the Cutters.
WIL 8 12 2 (13)
WV 7 14 1 (11)
W – Brian Marconi (1-3)
L – Alec Rennard (0-4)
S – Rafael Carvajal (3)
HR – Hunter Hearn (4)
Crosscutters Record: 26-37
