Spikes get Clipped by Scrappers
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Updated: June 28, 2012
State College (7-4) fell behind in the first inning when Mahoning Valley (4-7) first baseman Charlie Valerio doubled in a run to make it 1-0. The Spikes' deficit grew in the second inning when Jairo Kelly became the first Spikes opponent to hit a home run this season, driving a three-run shot to right field off of starter Jason Creasy.
However, State College came right back in the third inning with four runs off of Scrappers starter Geoffrey Davenport. The surge started when Rodarrick Jones delivered his first hit of the year with a ground-rule double to right field. Jodaneli Carvajal then dropped down a bunt and beat it out for a single, and after a passed ball scored Jones, D.J. Crumlich doubled to score Carvajal and make it a 4-2 game.
Chris Diaz brought in another run with a base hit to score Crumlich, then Ryan Hornback tied the game with a single to center field.
The Spikes then moved ahead in the fifth inning when Walker Gourley walked, moved to second on an errant pickoff throw and scored on David Valesente's RBI single. Valesente started his first game for the Spikes in 2012 as the designated hitter.
In the eighth inning, Mahoning Valley got the last response, though. Back-to-back singles off of State College reliever Tom Harlan (1-1) led off the inning, and Jeremy Lucas completed a 4-for-4 night with another single to center to tie the game. Joseph Wendle then gave the Scrappers a lead they would not relinquish with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to right.
Carvajal and Diaz had multi-hit performances for the Spikes on the evening.
From State College Spikes reports:
