The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are having a problem that hitting coach Tony Mansolino informally addressed during a between innings chat with me in the home dugout.

“We need to start hitting”, said Mansolino.

Two-and-a-half hours later, and two hits later, the Scrappers assistant coach had a validated concern, the Scrappers are simply not hitting.

In the second inning, Williamsport took a 1-0 lead.  Larry Greene singled up the middle and advanced to third base on a force at first.  Greene would later cross the plate when Mitch Walding also singled to center.

Mahoning Valley tied the game in their half of the second.  Joseph Wendle walked with one out and advanced to third on a Hunter Jones single.  Crosscutters starter Delvin Perez balked allowing Wendle a jog home.

Crosscutters Manager Andy Tracy was ejected in the middle of the second inning.  Tracy argued that his player got back to third before the Scrappers Joe Sever caught a line drive and dove to the third base bag.  The umpire made the out call for the inning ending double play and Tracy hit the field running.  A few minutes later, to the pleasure of the Eastwood Field crowd, Tracy walked toward the showers.

Scrapper starter Robbie Aviles did well to get himself out of a couple of jams and left the game after throwing five complete innings.  Aviles threw 57 pitches (30 strikes), gave up one earned run on five hits, walked one and did not record a strikeout.

Williamsport greeted new Scrapper hurler, Josh Martin with quick problems.  Christopher Serritella, the first Crosscutter batter of the inning, hit a home run to right  to give his team a lead of 2-1.  Martin recovered well and struck out the last six batters he faced  to keep Williamsport within reach.

Through eight innings, the Scrappers were held to just two hits.  Williamsport was doing a good job mixing locations and speeds to Scrapper hitters.  The results were a lot of fly outs and routine groundouts.

Nicholas Hanson earned the win for Williamsport.  Zach Cooper pitched the ninth to earn the save.