UNIVERSITY PARK -- The State College Spikes rallied from an early 4-0
deficit to beat the Williamsport Crosscutters 7-6 in ten innings on Wednesday
afternoon. In the bottom of the tenth, the Spikes took advantage of nine
straight balls reliever Matt German (0-1) to push their winning streak to nine
in a row and take sole possession of first place in the Pinckney Division for
the first time in franchise history.
Early on, it looked like the
Crosscutters were going to run away with the victory as they scored a pair of
runs in the first and third to take a 4-0 lead. But the Spikes offense
picked up steam in the bottom of the third, when Michael
Ambrose started the inning with a well-struck double to
right-center field. Austin McClune followed with
a single to put runners on the corners for Matt Cavagnaro. The
former Penn State star advanced both runners with an
RBI groundout to trim the ‘Cutters lead to 4-1. Justin
Byler kept the rally going with a single that plated McClune,
and later scored himself on Erik Huber’s single to bring
the Spikes within 4-3. Williamsport tacked on a run in the fourth to make it 5-3, but in
the bottom of the frame State College would
draw even. Once again it was Ambrose who started the uprising, this time
with a solo-blast to left field as the Spikes inched closer. McClune
followed with a triple to right field and came around to score on Cavagnaro’s
second RBI groundout of the game to knot the game at 5-5.
Williamsport broke the tie in the sixth on D’Arby Myers RBI
single to take a 6-5 lead. Myers finished the game going 5-for-5 with two
runs scored and an RBI for Williamsport. Myers
is now 9-for-9 in two games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
The Spikes kept the see-saw
scoring going when they answered with a run in their half of the
sixth. Once more, it was McClune at the heart of the rally with an RBI
single that scored Marcus Davis, to once again draw
even at 6-6.
In the seventh, the Spikes
bullpen took over for starter Nicolas Suero, and
wouldn’t allow the run over the final four innings of the game. Taylor
Cameron and winning pitcher Adam Simon (1-0)
combined to allow only one hit and walk, while striking out two, setting the
stage for the Spikes late inning heroics.
In the tenth Huber started
some two-out trouble with an infield single, and after a pair of four-pitch
walks to pinch-hitter Miles Durham and Davis loaded the
bases, German uncorked his ninth straight pitch out of the strike zone, this
one hitting Michael Ambrose on the forearm, allowing the winning run to score.
The Spikes look to continue
their torrid and historic streak tomorrow night at Williamsport in the second game of the
home-and-home series against the Crosscutters. RHP Moises
Robles (1-2, 3.38) will make the start for the Spikes, looking
for his second win of the season. Robles will battle RHP Drew Naylor (3-0,
0.41). Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. The game will be carried on WZWW-FM,
95.3 and the Spikes Radio Network affiliates.
State
College will return home
for the third and final game of the series on Friday. The first 2,000 fans
through the gates will receive a Spikes equipment bag. For more information, including ticket sales, click here.
