Williamsport Crosscutters down Trenton Thunder 7

May 18, 2023

Aug 5, 2023

The Crosscutters celebrate their win against the Trenton Thunder at Bowman Field on Saturday.DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The Williamsport Crosscutters were firing on all cylinders Saturday night, downing the Trenton Thunder 7-1 at Bowman Field. Williamsport starter Shaun Gamelin set the standard with seven shutout innings, and was backed up by a five run second from the Williamsport bats that were decisive on the night.

Williamsport’s core batters at the top half electrified the close to capacity crowd, starting with Garrett Wallace who’s re-introduction back in the lineup was capped with a leadoff single. Adam Becker has been decisive at the dish with a team leading 15 runs batted in, and would make it to 16 when he launched one off the wall at straight away center.

The pace of Wallace would take it from there, scoring from first to give Williamsport an early advantage.

With the top half setting the precedent, the bottom half would follow suit in the second beginning with an infield single from Mason Minzey. EJ Taylor would follow through with a double of his own, launching one to the right center wall to put two in scoring position. Jalen Greer would sweeten the pot against Trenton Thunder starter Wesley Gafford by drawing a walk, loading the bases.

A Ben MacNaughton strikeout would provide the first out, but against Jose Gonzalez, Gafford would throw a wild pitch to score Minzey from third and double the advantage. Gonzalez would then walk to load the bases. With Garrett Wallace at the dish, Gafford would get out the rye bread and mustard, tossing a pitch that Wallace would slam out of the park at left center for a grand salami that made it 6-0.

Jose Gonzalez of the Crosscutters makes a sliding catch to end the top of the sixth inning on a pop fly hit by Dan Covino of the Trenton Thunder at Bowman Field on Saturday.DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Meanwhile, Shaun Gamelin would toe the slab for Williamsport, and went through the first four innings without allowing a runner in scoring position. That would change in the fifth however with two outs, as Max Giordano would reach on a fielder’s choice. Nine- hitter Christian Merriwether would provide a chance, smacking one down the right field line for a double that put two in scoring position.

But Gamelin was equal to the challenge, grounding out leadoff batter Kolby Johnson to escape the jam.

Ramon Jimenez provided another reprieve one inning later, hitting one off the wall at center field for a one out double. Joe Imeduglia would follow up with a walk, further sweetening the pot.

This time, Gamelin would get a little bit of help from his defense, particularly left fielder Jose Gonzalez. Gonzalez would make a running grab for out number two, before going on a full extension slide for another catch against Dan Covino as Williamsport would once again orchestrate out of a jam.

Gamelin would finish off his outing in decisive fashion, striking out the side in the seventh. He would preserve a shutout through seven innings while conceding just one walk and five hits.

Garett Wallace of the Crosscutters celebrates with his team after a grand slam in the second inning against the Trenton Thunder at Bowman Field on Saturday.DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Williamsport would respond at the dish in angst, quickly loading up the bases against reliever John Gilreath with a Garrett Wallace and a pair of singles from Adam Becker and Tyler Lasch. A Will Fuenning strikeout would issue some reprieve for the visitors, but the dam would break and a Mason Minzey walk continued the carousel and make it 7-0. Gilreath prevented further damage with a popout and strikeout.

Trenton would get their first run on the board against Davis Burgin, starting with Kolby Johnson who started the eighth with a single. The leadoff man would advance to second on a Jack Lynch groundout, before being sent home on a basehit single to right by Ramon Jimenez.

But that would be all the damage that the visitors could muster, with Burgan and James Reilly later coming out in the final frame to solidify a dominant victory.

The win jumps the Cutters to 10-13 and Williamsport has the chance to potentially jump both the Frederick Keys and Mahoning Valley Scrappers if they both lose their respective fixtures.

After sweeping the Thunder in a two-game set last week, Williamsport will look to do the same Sunday afternoon where it hosts Trenton for the series finale at 4:05 p.m.

Garett Wallace of the Crosscutters rounds the bases on a grand slam in the second inning against the Trenton Thunder at Bowman Field on Saturday.DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

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