State College Spikes ride big first inning to win over Hudson Valley
The State College Spikes scored seven runs in the first inning and rolled to a 10-5 win over the Hudson Valley Renegades on Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Zach Kirtley scored the Spikes’ first run after his leadoff single and drove in the team’s seventh run in the inning with a double to right-center field. The Spikes (27-21) finished with six hits and sent 12 hitters to the plate in the first. Starting pitcher Nick Padilla lasted just 1/3 of an inning for Hudson Valley (23-25), facing seven hitters and allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits in the loss.
State College’s Evan Mendoza, Bryce Denton, Tyler Lancaster and Dennis Ortega each had RBI singles in the first inning.
The Spikes added three runs in the fifth, highlighted by Wood Myers’ RBI double.
State College starting pitcher Paul Balestrieri allowed four runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win.
Players of the game
Spikes left fielder Bryce Denton and first baseman Tyler Lancaster: Denton and Lancaster each finished with three hits to pace State College offensively. Denton and Lancaster both scored once and drove in one run. The Spikes finished with 14 hits in the win. Eight players recorded hits, and eight players scored runs for State College.
All-Star Game
Teams announced: Six State College Spikes earned spots in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game, setting a franchise record.
Mendoza (third base), Yariel Gonzalez (third base), Josh Lopez (catcher), Scott Hurst (outfielder), Daniel Castano (pitcher) and Andrew Summerville (pitcher) will play for the South team in the game Aug. 15 in Troy, N.Y. They’ll be joined by the Spikes coaching staff as manager Joe Kruzel, pitching coach Darwin Marrero and hitting coach Roger LaFrancois will lead the South team.
Hall of Fame
League announces 2017 inductees: Buck Showalter, Warner Fusselle and William Gladstone will be inducted into the New York-Penn League Hall of Fame at the All-Star Game on Aug. 15.
Showalter, currently the Baltimore Orioles manager, started his career as a manager with the league’s Oneonta Yankees in 1985-86. Fusselle was the voice of the Brooklyn Cyclones from 2001-11, and Gladstone is the owner of the Tri-City ValleyCats.
Next up
Hudson Valley at State College, 7:05 p.m. Wednesday: The Spikes and Renegades have yet to announce their starting pitchers for the second game of their series.
This story was originally published August 8, 2017 at 10:29 PM with the headline "State College Spikes ride big first inning to win over Hudson Valley."