BURLINGTON, VT - The State College Spikes bookended the game with positives, getting the first two runs of the game from Wes Freeman and a three-run double in the ninth from Walker Gourley, but the Vermont Lake Monsters scored seven runs in the fourth inning to pace a 10-6 victory over the Spikes on Tuesday night at Centennial Field.
Freeman, in the leadoff spot for the fourth game in a row, singled in the first inning and scored on a wild pitch to produce the game's first marker. The 2008 16th-round draft pick then came home on Alex Dickerson's RBI double in the third inning to give State College (15-30) a 2-0 lead.
Vermont (23-20) would come back, though, with two runs in third inning against Spikes starter Matt Benedict (2-3). The Lake Monsters then used nine hits, including eight in a row, to score seven runs in the fourth inning, with the last two scoring after Benedict had left the game. Vermont collected 13 hits total in the game, and added its last run in the sixth inning on a wild pitch.
However, State College kept competing in the late innings, putting up four runs in the ninth inning on an RBI double from Kirk Singer and Gourley's bases-clearing two-bagger. Singer is now tied for the team lead in runs batted in with Chris Lashmet, with both having 14 on the season.
Ashley Ponce had the lone multi-hit game for the Spikes, including a double that led off the last inning.
Benedict took the loss for State College after yielding a total of eight runs on nine hits and a walk. The right-hander also hit a batter and struck out three.
Stetson Allie also appeared for the Spikes in the sixth inning. The Pirates' 2010 second-round draft choice recorded two outs in the frame, both by strikeout, but also walked three and hit one in allowing one run. Allie was coming out of the bullpen for the second time this season.
Lake Monsters starter Seth Frankoff (3-2) earned the win after giving up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four over five innings of work. Frankoff threw three wild pitches as well, but only Freeman's run scored off of them.
Bobby Crocker and Chad Lewis both contributed three hits for Vermont, with Lewis adding a double and two runs batted in.
Wednesday, the Spikes and Lake Monsters play the middle game of their three-game series with a 7:05 p.m. start at Centennial Field. State College will have right-hander Ryan Hafner (0-3) on the mound, while Vermont will go with right-hander J.C. Menna (2-3), the New York-Penn League's leader in walks with 24.
The Spikes return home on Friday, August 5 to start a two-game series against the Jamestown Jammers (Florida Marlins) with a 7:05 p.m. matchup.
