WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Bladimil Franco and Jeremy Martinez collected three hits apiece to pace the State College Spikes’ offense as the Spikes extended their New York-Penn League Pinckney Division lead to 7 ½ games with a 5-4 win over the Williamsport Crosscutters on Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
The magic number for the Spikes (39-19) to clinch their third division title in the last four years is now 11, which denotes the combination of State College wins and Williamsport (30-27) losses needed to assure the Spikes of the crown.
Franco’s three hits included a fourth-inning double to tie the game at 2-2, as well as a seventh-inning single that was part of a three-run State College burst to break that tie. Martinez also contributed an RBI single to the Spikes’ rally in the seventh, and added a double of his own in the ninth.
State College overcame an early 2-0 deficit that occurred when Luke Williams singled home a pair of Crosscutters runs in the first. Vince Jackson doubled in the Spikes’ first run in the third before Franco knotted the game.
Jackson also started the Spikes’ seventh-inning scoring with a single to plate Tommy Edman. Edman, who leads the league with 46 runs scored, is now just one run shy of tying the Spikes’ single-season run-scoring record. Nick Thompson set the mark when he scored 47 runs in State College’s 2014 NYPL championship season.
The Spikes then withstood Williamsport’s late counterpunches, starting with back-to-back RBI singles from Juan Luis and Enmanuel Garcia in the seventh. Brady Bowen (8) entered the game after Garcia’s hit and recorded four strikeouts for a seven-out save, extending his league-leading total. Bowen yielded just one hit against him during his time on the mound.
Dewin Perez (3-3) earned the win for State College after tossing six strong innings. The southpaw bounced back from allowing two runs in the first to face the minimum over his final three innings. Perez gave up five hits, just two after the first inning, and two walks while striking out six.
Williamsport reliever Jake Kelzer (1-1) took the loss after giving up the Spikes’ trio of runs in the seventh. Kelzer allowed a total of four hits and a walk while striking out two batters in the one-inning effort.
Friday, the Spikes look to reduce their magic number further and sweep the Crosscutters as they meet in the finale of their three-game set. The 7:05 p.m. matchup at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field will feature a bullpen-led effort on the mound for State College. Right-hander Greg Tomchick (0-0) will make his first start since last season for the Spikes as the lead man in the procession.
Williamsport will go with left-hander Cole Irvin (3-1).
Following the series against the Crosscutters, the Spikes will head to Ohio to take on the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in a three-game series from Saturday through Monday before returning home on Tuesday for a three-game set against the Batavia Muckdogs.
Highlights of the trio of 7:05 p.m. games against the Muckdogs include Princess Night and Daddy-Daughter Date Night on a$2 Walking Taco Tuesday, presented by B94.5, as well as Half-Craft Wednesday, presented by 93.7 The BUS.
The homestand concludes with the return of Tim “Wild Thang” Lepard and Team GhostRiders for another Cowboy Monkey Rodeo on Thursday night. The one-of-kind act featuring monkeys riding dogs herding sheep will thrill fans of all ages, with the skies lighting up with a fantastic FIREWORKS show after the game. Fans of age can also enjoy $1 Beer Thursday, presented by BIG Froggy 101.
Tickets for all three games, as well as each of the seven dates remaining on the Spikes’ 2016 home schedule, are currently on sale through the Spikes Ticket Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person. Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
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 Friday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Health, at 6:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. 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.
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