Spikes blank Yankees in Game 1 of playoff series

Jordan DeLorenzo finished a brilliant pitching performance with a dominant ninth inning.

The State College Spikes reliever struck out Staten Island’s Dalton Blaser swinging to start the inning. He then got Angel Aguilar swinging and struck out Kendall Coleman swinging to seal a 3-0 win over the Yankees in Game 1 of the teams’ New York-Penn League semifinal series Wednesday night at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.

The top-seeded Spikes and fourth-seeded Yankees continue their best-of-three playoff series at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. State College can clinch a spot in the championship series with a win.

State College starting pitcher Bryan Dobzanski pitched six scoreless innings to earn the win, allowing four hits and four walks while striking out two. DeLorenzo struck out six and allowed one hit in three innings to finish the shutout and pick up the save.

Staten Island’s Kolton Mahoney allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings to take the loss.

Vince Jackson went 2 for 4 to pace the Spikes offensively.

The Spikes got on the board after three straight singles in the top of the first inning.

Jackson singled with two outs and advanced to third on a single by Jeremy Martinez before scoring on Ryan McCarvel’s single.

State College pushed its lead to 3-0 on a two-run home run by Andy Young in the third.

It proved to be more than enough run support for Dobzanski and DeLorenzo.

The pair combined to allow five singles to the Yankees, who went 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position.

DeLorenzo retired the final seven batters he faced and recorded four straight strikeouts to end the game.

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 10:55 PM with the headline "Spikes blank Yankees in Game 1 of playoff series."