From staff reports
STATE COLLEGE - Wes Freeman, playing what was potentially his last game with the State College Spikes, joined Alex Dickerson in bumping their batting averages over the .300 mark with a double and two base hits apiece, but the Spikes fell to the Williamsport Crosscutters, 13-3 thanks to two big innings on Sunday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Freeman received a promotion to the Pittsburgh Pirates' Single-A affiliate to West Virginia after his 2-for-4 performance that included a wall-ball double in the first inning and a two-run single in the fourth inning. The outfielder, a 16th-round draft choice of the Pirates in 2008, is leading the Spikes (26-42) with six home runs and 25 runs batted in this season.
A crowd of 5,144 was on hand to see both Freeman and Dickerson collect their pair of hits, with Dickerson contributing his double in the third inning and a single in the ninth inning. Dickerson, the Pirates' 2011 third-round draft choice, is now 8-for-17 at the plate over his last five games.
Dan Gamache brought in the other State College run with an RBI groundout in the seventh, but Williamsport (39-30) had already broken the game open. The Crosscutters scored six runs on seven hits, including RBI singles by Kyrell Hudson and Maikel Franco as well as a three-run triple by Harold Martinez.
Williamsport added five more runs in the fifth inning, collecting four hits and taking advantage of a Spikes error. Franco and Pete Levin each drove in runs with ground-rule doubles. Franco's bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning brought in another run and a wild pitch enabled Geancarlo Mendez to score in the eighth inning to complete the scoring.
In addition to Freeman and Dickerson, Alex Fuselier and Carlos Mesa produced multiple hits for the Spikes, who collected 10 total hits as a team.
State College starter Trent Stevenson (0-4) took the loss after allowing the Crosscutters' first six runs on a total of nine hits while striking out two over 2 2/3 innings.
Jesus Pirela (2-0) picked up the win for Williamsport with two scoreless innings of middle relief. Pirela yielded one hit and one walk while striking out four batters. Crosscutters starter Perci Garner went the first four innings and gave up two unearned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three hitters.
Monday, the Spikes head to Western New York to face the Batavia Muckdogs (St. Louis Cardinals) at Dwyer Stadium in the first of two games there. The 7:05 p.m. contest will also begin a stretch of four straight matchups between the Spikes and Muckdogs. State College will have right-hander Matt Benedict (3-3) on the mound. Benedict has allowed just one earned run in 15 innings over his last three starts. Batavia will go with left-hander Patrick Daugherty (3-4).
The Spikes return to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Wednesday to start their final two games of the 2011 home schedule with a 7:05 p.m. matchup against Batavia.
