State College Spikes suffer first double-digit loss of season against Williamsport

The State College Spikes held a “Conspiracy Night” promotion Wednesday.

The team probably felt as if everything was conspiring against them.

The Williamsport Crosscutters used a five-run eighth inning to blow out the Spikes 11-1 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. It was the first time the Spikes suffered a double-digit loss this season.

The top of the Crosscutters order did the most damage. Leadoff batter Nick Maton had a 4-for-5 performance with a double, while No. 2 hitter Jake Scheiner had an RBI triple, a two-run double and four total RBIs.

Williamsport sent 10 batters to the plate in the eighth, with a two-run single for Josh Stephen and Scheiner’s two-run double acting as the big blows. A run also scored on a passed ball.

“For whatever reason the ballgame got away from us late in the game,” manager Joe Kruzel said. “It’s unfortunate because we’ve been playing a lot better than what we did tonight.”

Yariel Gonzalez’s RBI single in the fifth accounted for the lone State College score.

Sam Tewes (2-3) took the loss, striking out six but walking three and allowing four hits and four runs over 5  2/3 innings. He also uncorked a pair of wild pitches.

Player of the game

Williamsport pitcher Andrew Brown: He had the Spikes tied up for most of his time on the mound. The right-hander (2-2) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. He allowed three hits and a run in the frame. He also struck out three.

Streaking

Hitting streak: State College’s Scott Hurst had a single in a 1-for-3 night to extend his hit streak to 11 games. He has 19 hits over the stretch, including five doubles.

“It’s just same mindset,” Hurst said. “Acting like it’s at home, or not really worrying if it’s on the road or not. Just sticking with my approach.”

Spikes debut

Infielder Wood Myers was added to the Spikes’ roster Wednesday after tearing things up at rookie-level Johnson City. Myers was hitting .410 with four doubles and three RBIs over 19 games. He was a 29th-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in June out of Coastal Carolina, where he was a teammate of Spikes pitcher Will Latcham.

Myers was the designated hitter and leadoff batter Wednesday, but was 0 for 4.

The toughest moment came in the bottom of the seventh, when he stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. His fly ball to the left-field corner was caught about two feet from the fence.

Up next

State College at West Virginia, 7:05 p.m. Thursday: The Spikes take on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ affiliate for the first time this season, with right-hander Jonathan Mulford (1-2, 4.76 ERA) pitching for State College against Black Bears righty Stephan Meyer (1-1, 4.39) to begin a three-game series.

This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 10:44 PM with the headline "State College Spikes suffer first double-digit loss of season against Williamsport."