Spikes earn New York-Penn League playoffs’ top seed before topping Williamsport Crosscutters

Danny Hudzina led the State College Spikes to their 50th win of the season Monday.

Hudzina went 2 for 5 with a home run and drove in all four of the team’s runs as the Spikes beat the Williamsport Crosscutters 4-2 at Bowman Field in the regular season finale. Before finishing its win, State College clinched the No. 1 seed in the New York-Penn League playoffs thanks to Aberdeen’s 2-0 win over Hudson Valley.

The Spikes (50-26) will open the playoffs at 7 p.m. Wednesday at fourth-seeded Staten Island. The teams will continue the best-of-three semifinal series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park at 7:05 p.m. Thursday.

Second-seeded Hudson Valley will take on third-seeded Lowell in the other semifinal series.

State College reliever Greg Tomchick threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season. Spencer Trayner went two scoreless innings for the save.

Julian Garcia allowed three runs (two earned) in one inning to take the loss for Williamsport (39-36).

State College took a 3-0 lead in the second inning on a three-run home run by Hudzina.

Ricardo Bautista led off with a walk, and Elier Rodriguez reached on an error before Hudzina came to the plate. He lifted a pitch over the left field wall for his fourth home run of the season.

Hudzina then added to the Spikes’ lead in the third, driving in Bautista on a double to left field.

State College starting pitcher Dewin Perez was replaced by Tomchick after allowing two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Tomchick walked Lucas Williams to load the bases, but he struck out Brett Barbier to escape the jam.

Tomchick, Max Almonte and Trayner combined on the final six innings to preserve the Spikes’ win.

This story was originally published September 5, 2016 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Spikes earn New York-Penn League playoffs’ top seed before topping Williamsport Crosscutters."