STATE COLLEGE - Alex Fuselier scored the game-winning run as a pinch-runner on an error in the 12th inning to end the second-longest game in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park history and give the State College Spikes a 4-3 win over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Friday night.
Fuselier came across the plate when Todd Hankins misplayed a ball hit by Samuel Gonzalez. The win gave the Spikes (4-11) their first series victory of the year as they took two out of three games from the Scrappers (10-5) at home. The game also matched State College's 7-6 loss to Jamestown in 12 innings for the second-longest game in Spikes history home or away, and trailed only a 7-6, 14-inning loss to Hudson Valley on July 25 for the longest game at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
State College used an early power surge to grab the lead. Matt Skirving doubled to score Gonzalez with the first run of the game in the second inning. After a Mahoning Valley run in the third, the Spikes got solo home runs two hitters apart from Justin Bencsko and Derek Trent to take a 3-1 lead. The homers were the second and third blasts of the year for the Spikes.
The Scrappers then scratched a run across in the fifth inning on a Jordan Smith base hit, and became the first team to score a run against Mitch Fienemann this season when Tony Wolters doubled home a run in the ninth inning to knot the game, 3-3.
Stetson Allie struck out five batters in four innings in his third professional start for State College. Allie yielded the Scrappers' first run on five hits, three of which were infield singles.
Trent, Skirving and Chris Lashmet all had multiple-hit games for the Spikes. Taylor Lewis contributed a triple in the ninth inning after coming into the game as a defensive replacement, but was thrown out at home by Scrappers center fielder Cody Elliott trying to score on a fly ball. Brian Sharp stole two bases for State College as well.
Emmanuel De Leon (1-1) picked up the win for the Spikes with a scoreless 12th inning. De Leon notched one walk and one strikeout.
Enosil Tejeda (0-1) took the loss after allowing the Spikes' game-winning run in the 12th, which was unearned. Tejeda allowed a hit and struck out one three days after earning the save against State College at Eastwood Field.
Saturday, the Spikes welcome another familiar foe in the Auburn Doubledays, affiliate of the Washington Nationals, for the first of two games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
State College will send right-hander Nick Kingham (0-2) to the mound for the 7:05 p.m. matchup. Auburn will counter with left-hander Ryan Demmin (3-0).
