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Scrappers too much for State College

Spikes take early lead, fall to rival

Sentinel photo by STEVE MANUEL
Spikes Terry Fuller (left) scores a run as Mahoning Valley’s catcher Bryan Lavastida reaches out but can’t make the catch at the plate during Wednesday’s rain-interrupted game in State College.

UNIVERSITY PARK — Mahoning Valley stunned State College by rallying from a 5-1 deficit to end the Spikes two-game winning streak with a 7-5 rain-delayed victory Wednesday evening at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

The Scrappers (27-30) scored five runs in the seventh to take their first lead of the game at 6-5. Henderson De Oleo singled to left, Julian Escobedo reached on an error and Brayan Rocchio brought home De Oleo on a base hit, making to 5-2.

Bryan Lavastida walked to load the bases and a pitch hit George Valera, plating Escobedo. Will Brennan brought home two with a knock to left and a fielding error by Terry Fuller in right brought home Valera.

Errors were the gremlin for the Spikes on the evening. State College committed four errors and all seven Mahoning Valley runs were unearned.

“The errors killed us. After the rain delay, we lost our focus and never regained it,” Spikes manager Jose Leon said. “It’s unfortunate because we played a decent game tonight it’s just the errors and a few mental lapses hurt us.”

Andrew Misiaszek (2-1) picked up the win for the Scrappers in relief. He pitched 1 1/3 innings and gave up two hits while fanning three. Nick Mikolajchak earned his third save with two innings of shutout ball.

Jacob Schlesener (2-5) suffered the loss for State College. He surrendered five runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked three. Scott Politz started the game and gave up one unearned run and five hits in three innings of work. He left and didn’t return after a 50-minute rain delay.

“Politz was having a strong outing and then the rain came. The delay was so long I didn’t want to risk putting him back out,” Leon said.

State College (29-29) took a 5-1 lead with runs in the first and second innings and three in the sixth.

In the first inning, Moises Castillo singled, advanced to third on a knock by David Vinsky and scored on a double steal.

“We wanted to be aggressive on the bases and we did a great job of that in the first inning,” Leon said. “We got the right opportunity at the right time and took advantage of it.”

The Scrappers tied it up in the second after Johnathan Rodriguez doubled to left and scored on a base hit to center field by De Oleo.

State College answered when Martin Figueroa doubled and came home on a double by Dariel Gomez to make it 2-1 after two innings.

In the sixth, Vinsky singled and came across on a triple by Fuller. Pedro Pages plated Fuller on a sac fly to left. Matt Duce walked and came home on a Gomez line drive to center.

“We hit the ball well tonight. The guys continue to play hard and as long as they do that, we’ll be okay,” Leon said. “We have to put this behind us and bounce back tomorrow.”

Mahoning Valley added an insurance run in the ninth when an RBI knock by Jonathan Lopez scored Rodriguez.

The Scrappers out-hit the Spikes 13-9. Lopez and De Oleo had three hits apiece to lead Mahoning Valley. Brennan and Rodriguez each had two. Vinsky, Duce and Gomez collected two hits each to pace the State College offense.

State College faces Mahoning Valley in game two of the series Thursday at 7:05 p.m.

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