State College Spikes escape bases-loaded jam, slip past Scrappers

The State College Spikes escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to hang on to a 3-2 win over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Monday night at Eastwood Field.

Mahoning Valley stranded 23 runners, as all but one Spike finished with a hit. First baseman Tyler Lancaster paced State College with two singles.

With the win, the Spikes improve their record to 26-21 while the Scrappers fall to 27-19.

Player of the game

State College starting pitcher Andrew Summerville: The 12th-rounder improved his record to 3-0 on the season after five solid innings, where he scattered three hits while striking out six and walking two. He allowed just one earned run and left the game with a 2-1 lead. He boasts a 1.84 ERA this season.

Turning point

Getting out of 8th-inning jam: With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, closer Spencer Trayner ended up tossing three straight balls to Mahoning Valley’s Clark Scolamiero. One more ball would’ve walked in the game-tying run, but Trayner settled down and threw three straight strikes to grab the strikeout. Scolamiero was caught looking. Trayner then retired the side in the ninth.

NYPL honor

State College’s Evan Mendoza wins again: A week after earning the New York-Penn League’s Player of the Week honors, Mendoza found out Monday that he won yet again. He’s the first Spike to win multiple weekly honors. He went 13 of 27 (.481 batting average) over the past seven days while driving in six runs. He’s now batting .373 this season and leads the league in hitting.

Up next

Hudson Valley Renegades at State College Spikes, 7:05 p.m. Tuesday: The two pitchers are still yet to be determined, but the Spikes finally return home after spending six straight days on the road. Tuesday will also serve as the season’s third Bark at the Park Night, where dogs are invited to watch the games with their owners.

This story was originally published August 7, 2017 at 10:15 PM with the headline "State College Spikes escape bases-loaded jam, slip past Scrappers."