Spikes share split with Ironbirds
UNIVERSITY PARK – Mother Nature says lets play two!!
After monsoon-like rains hit the heart of Happy Valley Wednesday, the State College Spikes were forced to postpone their game to Thursday night, making it a two game seven inning double hitter.
In the first game, Mother Nature hit once again Thursday, halting the game while Aberdeen led 1-0 on a solo round tripper by Riley Palmer in the top of the second.
But in the second, the Spikes were able to salvage a split of the double-dip, winning 8-2.
Alex Murphy ruined a strong comeback attempt by the Spikes, leading the Ironbirds to a 3-2 victory.
State College did not help its cause, posting three error and only scattering six hits.
After a 31-minute delay, the Spikes and their fans were ready to get back to it.
Despite facing numerous early jams, Spikes pitcher Will Anderson was able to escape unscathed after the first inning, keeping it within striking distance for his teammates until the top of the fifth.
In the top of the fifth, a double by Riley Palmer scored an speeding Alex Murphy, upping it to 2-0.
State College rallied to tie the contest in the bottom of the second.
Robelys Reyes started off the inning roping a 1-out single to centerfield. He moved up to second when Danny Diekroeger was hit by a Tanner Chleborad offering.
With two out, Jake Stone put the Spikes on the scoreboard with a smoking shot to left, scoring Reyes.
Nick Thompson blasted a smoking shot up the middle to score Diekroeger and tying the game.
Game 2 : Spikes 8, Ironbirds 2
State College hurler Dewin Perez had a strong outing, striking out eight and allowing only five hits in six innings to spark his team to a 8-2 victory.
In the first inning, Federico Castagini led off the game with a single to left field off starting pitcher Dewin Perez. He moved up to second on a balk and to scored on a single by Austin Anderson, making it 1-0.
Perez stopped the bleeding as he struck out the final three batters in the inning.
The Spikes tied the contest in the bottom of the third.
Luiz Cruz got the inning going, roping a one-out single in leftfield. Cruz moved up to third thanks to a Jhohan Acevedo single.
Lead-off hitter Darren Seferina brought in Cruz when he singled, making it 1-1.
However, the Spikes weren’t done yet, plating the lead in the bottom of the fourth thanks to some choppers over the Ironbirds first baseman.
Nick Thompson got the inning going squeezing a single between shortstop and third base.
Jake Stone’s chopper over the Ironbirds first baseman, put runners on first and third with no out.
Ronnierd Garcia put the Spikes ahead for the first time on the night roping an RBI sac fly to left, making it 2-1.
Chase Raffield followed with a one-out chopper over the first baseman, moving Thompson to third.
Thompson scored on a double by Johan Avecado, upping the Spikes lead to 3-1.
In the fifth, the Ironbirds cut the lead to 3-2.
But State College fought back in the bottom of the inning, padding its lead by three, leading 6-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Spikes picked up two more insurance runs and completed their night at the plate with a 14-hit performance.