Spikes fall in extras

By rscaife
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Updated: August 2, 2014

UNIVERSITY PARK – In the words of the legendary Stars Wars character Yoda “Lose they did.”

That would be his response to the Spikes game Friday night.

The force wasn’t with the State College Spikes on the Star Wars theme night held by the State College Friday night at Lubrano Park.

The Spikes’ Austin Gomber went head-to-head against Aberdeen’s David Hess.

In the end, the hitting of the Ironbirds was too much for the Spikes in a 5-4 contest.

Aberdeen got the scoring started off in the first when the posted one.

With one out, Alex Murphy singled on sailing fly into left. (1^st/2^nd/score (1-0)

Austin Anderson moved Murphy up a base as he followed in his footsteps as he singled to left as well.

Ferderico Castagnini made it 1-0 as he also roped an RBI single into left field.

The Spikes settled in and refused to allow runs in the second, third and fourth innings.

Offensively in the first three innings, the Spikes bats were semi-silent as Hess held the home team to only three hits in the innings.

However, the Spikes tied things in the bottom of the fourth thanks to Brian O’Keefe.

Nick Thompson’s patience paid dividends as he walk to lead off the inning.

With one out, O’Keefe sent a rocket shot to the Nook in center field which allowed Thompson to score.

In the top of the fifth, the Ironbirds threatened to take the lead for the second time in the contest but State College went to its bullpen. Joe Scanio came in for Gomber and was automatic.

On a double steal attempt by Justin Viele and Austin Anderson. The result wasn’t pretty for Aberdeen as Anderson was thrown out.

Scanio used the momentum to strike out Federico Castagnini to end the threat.

Leading off the bottom of the sixth, the Spikes looked primed and ready to take their first lead of the game when Nick Thompson led off with a single.

He was moved over to third when Chase Raffield singled, setting the stage for O’Keefe.

O’Keefe wasn’t able to bring anyone in as he was plunked by an Aberdeen offering, loading the bases.

With one out, Jhohan Acevedo sent one in between first and second for the 2RBI single bringing home Thompson and Raffield.

State College added another run before the inning was over when O’Keefe hustled out a sacrifice fly by Robelyn Reyes, making it 4-1.

However, the Ironbirds would not go away as they rallied for two runs of their own in the top of the seventh, cutting the Spikes’ lead to 4-3.

But in the bottom of the ninth, the Ironbirds scored on a 2-out error by the Spikes to tie the game at four.

Finally in the 10^th, Aberdeen took back the lead for good on an RBI triple by Jamil Moquete.

In the Spikes part of the 10^th, the Spikes could not get the offense going en route to the late inning loss.