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UNIVERSITY PARK - Jett Buck and Elie Kligman drove in three runs apiece and Jacoby Long knocked in two runs along with making two outstanding catches in center field to help the State College Spikes keep pace in the MLB Draft League second-half title race with a 9-7 win over the Williamsport Crosscutters on Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
With the win, the Spikes (18-15 2nd Half) stayed two games back of the first-place Aberdeen IronBirds with 13 games remaining on their 2026 schedule.
Williamsport (19-15 2nd Half) currently sits 1 ½ games back but has already clinched the host berth in the MLB Draft League Championship Game by winning the season's first half and would cede the game's other berth to the second-half runner-up if they finish atop the table.
The Spikes built a 7-1 lead behind a bevy of offensive contributions. Buck knocked in State College's first run to tie the game at 1-1 with a double in the second, then provided a two-run single to cap a four-run third. Long also delivered a two-run single in the third, with Kligman adding a two-run double of his own in the fifth.
Long also deprived Williamsport of two would-be hits, leaping against the center field wall to rob Trey Wells in the second before diving to take away a Nicholas Romano single in the third.
Williamsport mounted a comeback aided by James McCoy's two-run homer, his seventh of the season, to right-center field in the sixth and Matthew Williams's two-run shot, also his seventh homer of the year, off the center-field batter's eye in the seventh. However, Patrick Morris (6) scattered three hits and struck out two batters to earn a seven-out save for the Spikes.
Zach Kilby (4-2) struck out five of the first six batters he faced while giving up two runs on one hit and one walk over two innings for the win.
Crosscutters starter Ryker Walton (3-3) took the loss after being charged with five runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two batters over 2 2/3 innings.