STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Ryan McCarvel drove in four runs, and the State College Spikes nearly made a ninth-inning comeback before the Batavia Muckdogs stopped it short in a 6-5 defeat on Wednesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Despite the loss, the Spikes’ (42-22) magic number fell to five with Williamsport’s loss to West Virginia. State College can now clinch a New York-Penn League Pinckney Division title as soon as Saturday night in Auburn.
McCarvel’s single in the ninth, his third hit of the game, brought the Spikes within a run, An intentional walk to Ricardo Bautista then loaded the bases with one out. However, Batavia (17-45) reliever Victor Delgado (1) then forced pinch-hitter Mick Fennell to ground into a 1-2-3 double play to end the game.
The Muckdogs took the lead with a trio of runs in the first, with RBI singles by Eric Gutierrez and Michael Garzillo sandwiched around a wild pitch to score a run. The Spikes then got two runs back on McCarvel’s two-out single in the first.
J.J. Gould then led off the fifth with a solo home run off the left field foul pole to extend the Batavia lead to 4-2. Gutierrez followed the long ball with a triple, and scored on Alex Jones’s single.
The Spikes battled back to score on McCarvel’s single in the fifth before back-to-back doubles from Gould and Gutierrez made it 6-3, Muckdogs, in the sixth.
Tommy Edman’s single to center in the eighth then plated the Spikes’ fourth run and set up the ninth-inning rally.
Spikes starter Dewin Perez (3-4) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits and a walk while striking out one batter in just two-thirds of an inning.
Andy Young collected two hits, including a double, for State College.
Batavia reliever Hunter Wells (2-0) earned credit for the victory as the second of six Muckdogs pitchers. Wells gave up one run on one hit over two innings of work. Delgado yielded a total of two hits and a walk in his lone inning for the save.
Gutierrez went 4-for-5 and finished a home run shy of the cycle for the Muckdogs.
Thursday, the Spikes finish up their three-game series with the Muckdogs at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with right-hander Greg Tomchick (0-0) on the mound for State College. Batavia will go with right-hander Sam Perez (0-1) on the hill.
The return of the Cowboy Monkey Rodeo highlights the fun on Thursday, with FIREWORKS after the game. In addition, fans of age can enjoy $1 12-ounce domestic draft beers from 6-8 p.m. on $1 Beer Thursday, presented by BIG Froggy 101.
In addition, college students across Central PA can enjoy even more value during every remaining Spikes home game with the College 3-2-1 Special. The College 3-2-1 Special offers any college student presenting a valid student ID at ticket and concessions windows $3 Outfield Bleacher seats or $3 off seat in any other ballpark section, excluding Pepsi Picnic Pavilion and suites, plus $2 medium sodas and $1 hot dogs all game long.
Plus, in anticipation of as many as four potential September home playoff games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, Spikes Four-Game Playoff Packs are now available for purchase. Playoff Packs start as low as just $16 per seat and include a $4 per game savings off the single-game price. In addition, each seat purchased as part of a Four-Game Playoff Pack will come with a free, limited-edition Spikes Rally Towel while supplies last.
Fans can purchase Four-Game Playoff Packs by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, or by calling(814) 272-1711 during Ticket Office hours (9 a.m. to end of game on game days Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to end of game on game days Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-game days Monday-Friday).
Catch all of the action on Thursday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Health, at 6:35 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Spikes’ radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the “Listen Live” link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by the club’s flagship radio home, Newsradio 1390 WRSC, as well as the TuneIn Radio app.
Spikes fans can also catch home games in 2016 even when outside Central PA thanks to the new partnership with MiLB.TV to stream all games online to paid subscribers of the service. MiLB.TV offers fans the chance to follow the game’s future stars across Minor League Baseball, with more than 5,000 games streamed live, including affiliates of all 30 MLB teams, and complete game archives available on demand. Fans can subscribe to MiLB.TV monthly at $12.99 a month.
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