Auburn Doubledays 5, State College Spikes 3
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The Spikes were shut out for the second game in a row, dropping their record to 1-5. They were also held to just 3 hits for the second game in a row.
Starter Nick Kingham gave up a run on three singles in the top of the 1st inning. He allowed another single to lead off the 2nd inning, then retired the next 10 Auburn batters in order. He surrendered a ground rule double in the 5th, but struck out three other batters in that inning.
The Spikes had at least one runner on base in each of the first 5 innings, but could not bring any of them around to score. Newly signed CF Alex Fuselier reached base to lead off the bottom of the 1st, when there was a wild pitch on strike three. He was bunted to second base, but was left there. Another new signing, 1B Chris Lashmet reached base on a throwing error to begin the 2nd inning. He was picked off but was safe at second on a throwing error. SS Kirk Singer walked and C Samuel Gonzalez singled to put two runners on in the 3rd, but a strikeout ended that inning. Lashmet singled in the 4th and was out in a double play. 3B Walker Gourley walked and Fuselier was hit by a pitch in the 5th — same result, left on base.
Kevin Kleis relieved Kingham to begin the 6th inning, and Kleis gave up the next two Auburn runs. He got a ground out to begin the inning, then hit a batter and gave up a single. After a strikeout, a double brought in both base runners, for a 3-0 lead. Kleis retired the side in order in the 7th, but gave up another 2 runs in the 8th, on two walks and two singles. Mitch Fienemann took over for Kleis for the 9th inning, and he retired Auburn in order, with one strikeout.
The Spikes had only one more hit over the last 4 innings of the game. 2B Jorge Bishop singled with two outs in the 7th, and he stole second base, but a ground out ended the inning. The Spikes’ batters went down in order in the last two innings.
GCL Bradenton Pirates 4, GCL Tigers 0
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Reliever Rinku Singh earned his first win of the season, as three Pirates’ pitchers held the Tigers to just 3 hits and shut them out. The game began with SS Jodaneli Carvajal being hit by a pitch, moving to second on a passed ball, then on to third on a ground out. 2B Yhonathan Barrios’ single through to left field brought Carvajal in to score. Bryton Trepagnier took the mound with a 1-0 lead in his pocket in the bottom of the inning. Trepagnier pitched 4 scoreless innings, and allowed 2 hits. He worked around a double and a hit batter in the 1st, and another hit batter in the 2nd. He allowed the second hit, a single, in the 3rd, then retired the side in order in the 4th. Singh relieved Trepagnier to begin the 5th. Singh also pitched 4 scoreless innings, allowing 1 hit and striking out 5 batters. He had a batter reach base on a throwing error in the 5th, but erased the runner with a double play. Singh retired the side in order in the 6th and 7th innings, with a strikeout in the 6th and two in the 7th. He gave up a single in the 8th, but again struck out 2 batters. Miguel Mendez pitched the 9th for the Pirates, and he retired the side in order, with one strikeout.
After the 1st inning, the Pirates did not score again until the 7th. 1B Daan Cornelissen singled in the 2nd, but was left on base. The Pirates threatened in the 4th, when Barrios singled, LF Gavi Nivar doubled, and RF Luis Urena walked to load the bases with no outs. But a Cornelissen struck out and C Dylan Child bounced into a double play to end the inning.
The Pirates added an insurance run in the 7th. Cornelissen walked and stole second base, then advanced to third on a ground out. 3B/SS Ashley Ponce was hit by a pitch, and he moved up to second base on a wild pitch. 3B Francisco Aponte’s grounder to short let Cornelissen score, for a 2-0 lead. The top of the 8th began with a walk to CF Gregory Polanco. Polanco stole second base and went on to third when the Tigers’ catcher made a throwing error trying to get him at second. Pinch-hitter Jose Osuna walked, then Urena singled into left field, scoring Polanco. A passed ball put both Osuna and Urena into scoring position, and Cornelissen’s RBI ground out brought in Osuna with the 4th run of the game. All that remained was for the Singh and Mendez to hold the Tigers scoreless in their last two at-bats.
