State College Spikes sweep doubleheader against Williamsport Crosscutters
The State College Spikes parlayed Monday’s postponement into a doubleheader sweep Tuesday, as they defeated Williamsport 9-3 in Game 1 and followed that up with an extra-inning 3-1 victory (eight innings) in Game 2.
The two wins were critical, especially considering State College (17-11) and Williamsport (14-12) were both a half-game back on Monday.
The Spikes are now involved in a three-way tie atop the division, alongside Mahoning Valley and West Virginia.
Player of the game
Game 1 — Spikes OF Ricardo Bautista: In a contest featuring 15 hits and nine runs, there was plenty of offensive firepower. But Bautista stood out for making two clutch hits. First, he set the tone in the top of the first with a three-run homer. And later, in the key fourth inning, he singled to keep a two-out rally alive — a rally that would lead to another pair of runs.
Game 2 — Spikes OF Scott Hurst: There was little offense in the second game, but that was of little problem for Hurst. He still finished 2 of 3 with two runs and a double. Hurst also walked in the eighth inning, before coming around to score to make it 3-1.
Turning point
Game 1 — Strikeouts in bottom of 2nd: The Spikes took a commanding 5-0 lead after the top of the second, but that lead could have definitely shrunk had it not been for pitcher Daniel Castano making some clutch plays. Williamsport opened the inning with back-to-back hits, but Castano then struck out three straight batters to keep the Crosscutters off the board. Bautista’s home run was big, and the two runs in the second gave State College a nice cushion — but all that could’ve been for nothing if not for Castano turning it on when Williamsport threatened. He’s the first pitcher in the New York-Penn League to reach six wins.
Game 2 — Extra-inning wild pitches: Caleb Lopes opened the top of the eighth with a single — the game was only supposed to go seven innings because it was part of a doubleheader — and J.D. Crowe then moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt. That’s when the turning point for the Spikes really came. Damon Jones threw a wild pitch to move Lopes to third and, despite a coaching visit to the mound, came right back and threw another wild pitch to plate Lopes. That gave State College the 2-1 lead, and that’s all it would need.
Roster move
Transfer: Infielder Imeldo Diaz was transferred from the Spikes to Rookie-level Johnson City on Tuesday. Diaz joined the Spikes on July 5 after he and fellow infielder Stanley Espinal were traded from the Boston Red Sox to add bonus pool money for the international free agent signing period. Diaz was batting 7 of 23 (.304) for the Spikes.
Up next
Williamsport at State College, 7:05 p.m. Wednesday: The Spikes’ Sam Tewes (2-2, 4.30 ERA) will face off against the Crosscutters’ Andrew Brown (1-2, 3.15 ERA). Both have struck out 20 batters apiece this season — Tewes in 29 1/3 innings, Brown in 20 innings. Wednesday will also mark the Spikes’ Salute to Conspiracy Theories Night.
This story was originally published July 18, 2017 at 11:28 PM with the headline "State College Spikes sweep doubleheader against Williamsport Crosscutters."