In the first of three games against Williamsport, situational hitting was not kind to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.  The Scrappers dropped a 2-1 decision to the Crosscutters.  Both teams got excellent pitching as each staff struck out 12 opposing batters.

Williamsport scored quickly as Leandro Castro walked and stole second.  Castro would come in to score on a  Jeremy Barnes RBI double off of Scrappers starter Brett Brach.  Brach was stingy only giving up two more hits and no more runs through five innings.

Mahoning Valley got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by John Allman (pictured above), his first in 2009, to tie the contest at 1-1.  “I just got a pitch out over the plate and was able to drive it that way,” said Allman after the game.

Adam Buschini untied the score in the top of the sixth with a blast to deep left field, giving the Crosscutters the lead for good at 2-1.

The Scrappers fell to 8-5 on the season with the loss.  Thursday, the first “Buck Night” of the year, is sure to draw a bigger crowd than the rain-influenced number of 1300 on Wednesday. 

Coach Travis Fryman was happy with the pitching the Scrappers have been getting, ” Really all three guys threw extremely well.  When you throw the ball hard like (Austin) Adams, you will give up a home run from time to time.  We missed scoring opportunities, which usually ends up being the difference in a one-run game.”