AUBURN, N.Y. — After a winning start, State College’s road trip to New York has taken a turn for the worse.
The Spikes had just five hits Saturday as they dropped their third straight with a 2-1 loss against Auburn in New York-Penn League action.
State College (23-37) won the six-game trips first game at Hudson Valley, put dropped two straight including a rain-delayed 6-4 loss to the Renegades that ended early Saturday morning.
The Spikes grabbed the early lead against Pinckney Division leading Auburn (37-23) by scoring an unearned run in the third. Ashley Ponce reached on an error and moved to second on Walker Gourley’s sacrifice bunt. He advanced to third on a groundout and trotted home on Wes Freeman’s RBI double, the Spikes’ first hit of the game.
State College starter Ryan made the lead stick until Auburn got an unearned run of its own. With two outs, Hafner hit Caleb Ramsey with a pitch. Ramsey moved to second on Bryce Ortega’s single and stole third base. Ramsey scored as third baseman
Gourley threw wild on Justin Miller’s grounder.
Auburn scored the game-winner in the seventh off reliever Cliff Archibald. Ortega led off with a walk, moved to third on Matthew Skole’s single to right field and scored on Miller’s groundout.
State College had chances to score in its final two at-bats. In the eighth, Gourley walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on Derek Trent’s bunt. Aaron Barrett then relieved for Auburn and struck out Freeman and got Junior Sosa on a groundout.
In the ninth, Alex Dickerson led off with a single, but Barrett struck out Carlos Mesa and Dan Gamache. Rodarrick Jones singled to put Dickerson at second, but Barrett fanned Matt Skirving to earn his seventh save of the season.
Hafner had a solid stint for State College, allowing three hits and the unearned run in five innings. Archibald suffered his first loss. Robert Kilcrease pitched two scoreless innings of relief.
Christian Garcia (2-0), who relieved starter Taylor Hill in the sixth, pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. Auburn’s four pitchers combined for nine strikeouts.
Freeman had the only extra-base hit for the Spikes, who were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Auburn was 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
The three-game series continues today at 6:05 p.m. Michael Jefferson (2-1, 4.77 ERA) will start for the Spikes.
