Scrappers buried by early deficit against Crosscutters

Staff report

WILLIAMSPORT, PA.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers fell into an early deficit that got worse as time went on in a 7-3 loss to the Williamsport Crosscutters.

Crosscutters rightfielder Jhailyn Ortiz hit a two-run home off Grant Hockin in the second to put his team on the board.

The Scrappers were able to split that deficit in half when Hosea Nelson came home as Oscar Gonzalez grounded out in the top of the sixth. The Crosscutters responded with five more runs across the next two innings.

Williamsport picked up another run via a sac-fly in the sixth. The Scrappers trotted out Ping-Hsueh Chen for the seventh and it wasn’t pretty.

In one inning, Chen gave up four runs on two singles, a double, a hit batter and a two-run home run by Williamsport’s Adam Hasely.

The Crosscutters Kyle Young gave up one hit and no walks while striking out 11 during five scoreless innings to pick up the win.

Hockin gave up two runs on five hits with no walks in three innings as the game’s losing pitcher.

The Scrappers and Crosscutters go at it again tonight at 7.