Spikes Beat Crosscutters, 4-1
By: Mike Mueller
Updated: August 18, 2007
ILLIAMSPORT, PA - The State College Spikes took two of three from the Williamsport Crosscutters at Historic Bowman Field improving their record to 28-27 with a 4-1 win Saturday night. The win puts the Spikes over the .500 mark for the first time since July 25.
LHP Tony Watson was originally scheduled to start for the Spikes but was promoted earlier in the day to the Hickory Crawdads. RHP Dionis Rodriguez was called on for an emergency start and pitched brilliantly going 5.0 scoreless innings, scattering just four hits and striking out four. Rodriguez only allowed one runner to reach third base the entire night.
The Spikes got the offense going by putting up a two-spot in the second inning. Andrew Walker scored on a throwing error from Williamsport catcher Caleb Mangum, and Bobby Spain, who walked earlier in the inning came across the plate on an Erik Huber RBI groundout to put the Spikes up 2-0.
State College would tack on single runs in the third and fourth innings to extend their lead to 4-0. Keanon Simon scored on a sacrifice fly by Walker in the third, while James Barksdale executed a perfect, two-out suicide squeeze bunt to cash in Matt Cavagnaro’s lead off double earlier in the frame.
RHP Jake came on to relieve Rodriguez and pitched 2.1 innings of relief, giving up one run on four hits. RHP Taylor Cameron came on in the eighth inning to relieve Cuffman, and recorded two big outs, and pitched a scoreless ninth inning to nail down his first career save.
The Spikes return home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park tomorrow night to open up a short two-game series against the Jamestown Jammers. RHP Moises Robles (3-7, 3.46) will toe the rubber for the Spikes. Game time is 6:05 p.m., with a spectacular post-game fireworks show scheduled after the game. Great seats are still available and can be obtained by calling 877-99-SPIKES, by logging on to StateCollegeSpikes.com, or by stopping by the Medlar Field at Lubrano box office.
NOTES – Brian Friday extended his hitting streak to a league-high 18 games with a single in the seventh inning Saturday. Emeel Salem of Hudson Valley had a 17-game hit streak earlier this year…Friday also has reached base in every game he has played (20) since making his professional debut on July 18 at Hudson Valley. Both streaks are State College Spikes records…The State College Spikes will hold a Ladies Baseball Clinic at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park tomorrow from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Spikes players that will be participating as instructors in the clinic that will feature pitching, hitting, base running, and fielding will be Jake Cuffman, Duke Welker, Brandon Williams, Miles Durham, and James Barksdale…With the win, the Spikes took two out of three from the Crosscutters and now lead the SawBucks Series 5-4…The Spikes have also won their fourth consecutive three-game series. The last time the Spikes did not split or win a series was July 30 – August 1 when they
were swept by the Mahoning Valley Scrappers…State College remains 4.5 games out of first place, as the first-place Auburn Doublesdays defeated the Batavia Muckdogs 2-1 earlier Sunday.
-State College Spikes
LHP Tony Watson was originally scheduled to start for the Spikes but was promoted earlier in the day to the Hickory Crawdads. RHP Dionis Rodriguez was called on for an emergency start and pitched brilliantly going 5.0 scoreless innings, scattering just four hits and striking out four. Rodriguez only allowed one runner to reach third base the entire night.
The Spikes got the offense going by putting up a two-spot in the second inning. Andrew Walker scored on a throwing error from Williamsport catcher Caleb Mangum, and Bobby Spain, who walked earlier in the inning came across the plate on an Erik Huber RBI groundout to put the Spikes up 2-0.
State College would tack on single runs in the third and fourth innings to extend their lead to 4-0. Keanon Simon scored on a sacrifice fly by Walker in the third, while James Barksdale executed a perfect, two-out suicide squeeze bunt to cash in Matt Cavagnaro’s lead off double earlier in the frame.
RHP Jake came on to relieve Rodriguez and pitched 2.1 innings of relief, giving up one run on four hits. RHP Taylor Cameron came on in the eighth inning to relieve Cuffman, and recorded two big outs, and pitched a scoreless ninth inning to nail down his first career save.
The Spikes return home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park tomorrow night to open up a short two-game series against the Jamestown Jammers. RHP Moises Robles (3-7, 3.46) will toe the rubber for the Spikes. Game time is 6:05 p.m., with a spectacular post-game fireworks show scheduled after the game. Great seats are still available and can be obtained by calling 877-99-SPIKES, by logging on to StateCollegeSpikes.com, or by stopping by the Medlar Field at Lubrano box office.
NOTES – Brian Friday extended his hitting streak to a league-high 18 games with a single in the seventh inning Saturday. Emeel Salem of Hudson Valley had a 17-game hit streak earlier this year…Friday also has reached base in every game he has played (20) since making his professional debut on July 18 at Hudson Valley. Both streaks are State College Spikes records…The State College Spikes will hold a Ladies Baseball Clinic at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park tomorrow from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Spikes players that will be participating as instructors in the clinic that will feature pitching, hitting, base running, and fielding will be Jake Cuffman, Duke Welker, Brandon Williams, Miles Durham, and James Barksdale…With the win, the Spikes took two out of three from the Crosscutters and now lead the SawBucks Series 5-4…The Spikes have also won their fourth consecutive three-game series. The last time the Spikes did not split or win a series was July 30 – August 1 when they
were swept by the Mahoning Valley Scrappers…State College remains 4.5 games out of first place, as the first-place Auburn Doublesdays defeated the Batavia Muckdogs 2-1 earlier Sunday.
-State College Spikes
