NILES, Ohio – Brock Reller and Colin Adams each homered to help build a three-run lead entering the ninth inning for the State College Spikes, but the Mahoning Valley Scrappers rallied to tie to the game in their final at-bat, then held the Spikes at bay in the MLB Draft League Sudden Death Tiebreaker to deal State College the defeat on Saturday night at Eastwood Field.
The loss was just the second in the last nine games for the Spikes (9-6 2nd half), and halted the Scrappers’ (4-11 2nd half) nine-game losing streak.
State College started the extra frame on offense with Marques Paige as the designated runner at first base. However, Mahoning Valley reliever Chad Coles, in his third inning of work on the night, struck out Adams and forced Ryan Chesney to fly out to center field before Dawson Bailey hit into a forceout at second that got Paige for the last out.
Reller’s two-run homer to right field off Scrappers starter Jarod Sprinkle on a 3-2 pitch in the fifth was his second of the season. The long ball doubled the Spikes’ lead at that point to 4-0.
Following a pair of Mahoning Valley runs in the fifth thanks to Alex Crump’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field, Adams responded with a solo homer to the Spikes’ bullpen in left on the first pitch from Jan Figueroa in the sixth for his first dinger in a State College uniform.
In the bottom of the ninth, Crump and Oscar Ponce delivered back-to-back one-out singles, with Crump moving to third. After Austin Cheeley struck out Alex Arauz, Parker DePasquale singled through the left side to bring in Crump and make it 5-3.
One batter later, Abimael Gonzalez Acosta delivered his first hit of the game with a double off the wall in center field to bring in two runs and tie the game up at 5-5.
State College took the opening lead in the third when Chesney and Bailey smashed back-to-back doubles, then added to its lead in the fourth after Josh Madole singled and a pair of errors on a ball hit by Paige brought him home.
Spikes starter Beau Nichols allowed two runs, one of them earned, on five hits over 4 1/3 innings before giving way to Joe Battaglia, the former Williamsport Crosscutters pitcher who was transferred to the Spikes on Friday. Battaglia logged 2 2/3 scoreless innings in his debut with State College, yielding one hit and one walk along the way.
No winning or losing pitcher is recorded in games that reach the MLB Draft League Sudden Death Tiebreaker.
The Spikes are now 2-1 in the second half, and 4-5 overall, in the new half-inning tiebreaker format this season.
Sunday, the Spikes and Scrappers meet for the rubber match of their three-game series at Eastwood Field in a 2:05 p.m. matinee matchup. Right-hander Brendan Knoll (1-2) gets the ball for State College to oppose Mahoning Valley right-hander Masen Palmier (1-2).
Following an off day on Monday, the Spikes will return home for a three-game set against the West Virginia Black Bears from Tuesday, August 9 to Thursday, August 11. Highlights of the trio of 6:35 p.m. games include Bark in the Park III presented by the Centre Daily Times on Tuesday with a Doggie Giveaway presented by Happy Valley Insurance, Ladies Night with a special pre-game Sip & Paint Ticket Package available on Wednesday, and Bellefonte Community Night on a Thirsty Thursday.
Tickets for every game remaining in the second half of the Spikes’ biggest regular season home schedule in franchise history, including all three remaining FIREWORKS from the Field shows, are available now. Tickets can be purchased by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets, and view the full 2022 promotional schedule, at the only source for authentic Spikes tickets online by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
More ticket packages, including Flex Books and an array of group and hospitality options for the 2022 season, are currently on sale by calling the Spikes at (814) 272-1711. Additional information on all club ticketing options, as well as team news and schedule info, can be viewed at StateCollegeSpikes.com.
Catch all the action of the Spikes’ game on Sunday via the Spikes Radio Network presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics with Joe Putnam on the call. The broadcast starts with Spikes Live! presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Eastwood Field starting at 1:50 p.m.
The game can be viewed worldwide on the MLB Draft League streaming platform at MLBDraftLeague.com/streaming, along with the “Listen Live” link on StateCollegeSpikes.com and the TuneIn Radio app.
