Spikes clinch division title with road win against Auburn

The “magic number” was one.

One more win, that is, and the Spikes earned it on Saturday night at Auburn with a 3-1 victory that clinched State College the New York-Penn Leaue Pinckney division title. It’s the third division title in four years for the team, which will begin its playoff run on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

State College (44-23) actually could have clinched on Friday night, but fell to the Doubledays 2-0.

Spikes right-hander Jordan Hicks threw a strong seven innings, giving up only three hits and one run while striking out six batters. Hicks has struck out 22 batters in August alone.

Brady Bowen earned his ninth save of the season, pitching two innings with three ceded hits and no runs.

Jeremy Martinez sent Tommy Edman into home on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, and followed up his RBI with a two-RBI single to right field that sent Edman around the bases again and also scored Andy Young in the third.

Auburn (26-39) got one back in the sixth with a groundout-RBI by Dalton Dulin.

Saturday night’s win tied the three-game series, which will be decided on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.

This story was originally published August 27, 2016 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Spikes clinch division title with road win against Auburn."