Williamsport Crosscutters 3, State College Spikes 1
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The Spikes struggled again in their second game, as they were held to just 2 hits, while committing 3 errors. Two Spikes batters, C Derek Trent and SS Kirk Singer, reached base with walks over the first three innings, but neither was able to score. The Spikes were first onto the scoreboard, when LF Wes Freeman led off the top of the 4th with a solo homer. But that would be all the scoring the Spikes would do. Trent smacked a 2-out double in the top of the 6th, and RF Carlos Mesa was hit by a pitch, and after that the Spikes did not have a base runner for the rest of the game.
Ryan Hafner started for State College. He pitched 4 scoreless innings, with 3 hits and no walks, plus 2 strikeouts. He also hit a batter. Kevin Kleis gave up all 3 of the Williamsport runs (2 earned). One run came in during the 5th inning, when the Spikes committed all 3 errors. A fielding error by 3B Jorge Bishop put the lead-off batter on base. A passed ball moved him to second base, and an RBI single with a throwing error by 1B Michaelangel Trinidad brought him in to score. Another single with a throwing error by Bishop put a runner on third base, but he was out at the plate on a fielder’s choice play. A stolen base and a single brought another runner around third and heading for home, but Freeman’s throw to Trent at the plate was on target and on time, and the runner was tagged out.
With the score tied at 1-1, Kleis came out to pitch the 6th. A walk, a single, and a 2-RBI double, all after 2 outs had been recorded, gave Williamsport a 3-1 lead, and eventually the game. Justin Ennis pitched a perfect 7th inning, and Jesus Brito, who was a third baseman at West Virginia last season, came on to pitch the 8th inning. He gave up one single, but Trent threw out the runner trying to steal second base.
West Virginia Power 6, Lakewood BlueClaws 2
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Three runs in the bottom of the 8th gave the Power a little insurance for their win. Tyler Waldron pitched 3 scoreless innings before giving up a solo homer in the top of the 4th. The Power answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. RF Dan Grovatt doubled and advanced to third base on a wild pick-off throw. He scored on a wild pitch. 3B Eric Avila added a run with his solo homer in the 5th. In the 6th, LF Justin Howard reached base on a fielding error, then scored on CF Mel Rojas’ RBI double into center field.
Lakewood got one run back in the top of the 7th with a solo homer. Waldron was done after that inning, having allowed just 3 hits and 2 walks, with 4 strikeouts. The Power surged again in the 8th, beginning with back-to-back singles by 2B Andy Vasquez and Grovatt. Rojas’ single brought in Vasquez, and C Elias Diaz’s double scored both Howard and Rojas.
Casey Sadler pitched a scoreless 8th inning, allowing a single. Jason Townsend pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th to finish the game for the Power.
Harrisburg Senators 6, Altoona Curve 3 (Game 1)
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CF Starling Marte got the ball rolling in the bottom of the 1st with a solo home run. The Senators answered with a run on a walk, a stolen base, a balk, and an RBI ground out in the top of the 2nd. Curve starter Jeff Locke then gave up 3 runs in the top of the 3rd, on a walk, two doubles, and an RBI ground out. Diego Moreno took over for the 4th and pitched two scoreless innings, but Matt McSwain surrended a solo home run in the top of the 6th and a run in the 7th on a single and an RBI double.
After Marte’s homer, the next 12 Curve batters went down in order. Finally in the 5th, 1B Matt Curry led off with a single and 3B Jeremy Farrell walked, but both were left on base. The Curve scored again in the 6th, when Marte rapped a ground-rule double and 2B Brock Holt tripled. SS Jordy Mercer’s sacrifice fly brought in Holt, but that was all the Curve could do in the first game of the double header.
Senators 4, Curve 3 (Game 2)
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The Curve jumped out to a good start in the night-cap, but could keep going, as the Senators scored 4 unanswered runs. Marte again got the Curve started in the bottom of the 1st with a lead-off double. Holt singled and Mercer brought them all in with a 3-run homer, all before an out was recorded.
Starter Aaron Thompson gave up a solo homer in the top of the 2nd, then a single, a stolen base, a wild pitch and a throwing error by C Travis Scott added a second run in that inning. Thompson retired the Senators in order in the 3rd, but the 4th began with a single and a stolen base. A triple brought in the tying run and a sacrifice fly gave the Senators a 4-3 lead. Anthony Claggett pitched 3 scoreless innings to finish for the Curve, allowing just 2 walks.
Mercer, LF Anthony Norman, and Marte all singled in the later innings, but none was able to come around to score.
