AUBURN, NY - The State College Spikes dropped a heartbreaker in 10 innings
Thursday night at Falcon Park by the score of 11-10, in one of the more epic battles
in the franchise's history. The Spikes overcame a great deal adversity before the game even started and showed lots of resiliency as RHP Yoffri Martinez was called upon to make an emergency start for Moises Robles. Martinez struggled through 2.2 innings, giving up seven runs on six hits.
In the first inning, the Martinez, pitching with runners at second and third base, balked home Ben Zeskind to give Auburn a 1-0 lead, in which brought manager Turner Ward out of the dugout to argue the call with plate umpire Ben Karris. Ward was ejected by Karris, marking the first time the Spikes' skipper has been tossed out of a game this season. Later that inning, Brad Emaus doubled home another run to put the Doubledays up 2-0. Auburn would tack on another run in the second before putting up a four-spot against Martinez in the third to grab a 7-0 edge.
LHP Eddie Nunez made his Spikes debut and pitched well, holding Auburn at bay with 2.1 scoreless innings performance. In the top of the fourth the Spikes rolled up their sleeves and got to work offensively against Auburn starter Kyle Walter. Miles Durham led off the inning with a single and immediately stole second base. Jon Fitzpatrick then doubled him home for the Spikes first run. Fitzpatrick was the caught in between second and third base on a come-backer hit to the mound by Bobby Spain and was picked off, however, he stayed in the rundown long enough to allow Spain to advance to second. Erik Huber followed up by doubling him home for the Spikes second run, while Huber didn't stay at second very long, trading places with Nick Stillwagon, as the Spikes trailed by only four runs. The offensive outburst continued when Smelin Perez, who finished the night 4-for-6 with two runs scored, tripled him home to pull the Spikes within three. Perez later crossed the plate on a passed all to make the score 7-5, Auburn.
In the sixth, an RBI groundout by Austin McClune and RBI single by Perez tied the game at 7-7. Auburn quickly answered in their half of the sixth with a Darin Mastrioanni solo home run to give the Doubledays and 8-7 lead. Auburn tacked on another run in the seventh, to extend their lead to two. State College, plated a pair in the eighth inning, as Mclune and Perez scored on an error and another passed ball to knot the score 9-9.
As they had once before, Auburn answered the bell in the eight when C.J. Ebarb knocked in Mastrioanni to give the Doubledays a 10-9 lead. State College in the ninth facing closer Mike Barbara got the leadoff man aboard when Durham walked, and pinch-hitter Keanon Simon, hit a ground ball that was mishandled by Aubrun shortstop Luis Sanchez. His throw sailed past first base allowing Durham to circle the bases to tie the game at 10-10.
After the Spikes went 1-2-3 in the 10th off reliever Ryan Bird (2-1), Brian Tracy (3-2) came in to pitch for the Spikes, and was let down by his defense. Errors by Matt Cavagnaro and Brian Friday set up runners at first and third with on out. Ebarb, who finished the night going 4-for-6 four RBIs for Auburn knocked in the winning run.
State College will wrap up the two-game series tomorrow by sending Matt Foust (2-5) to the mound.
NOTES - With the loss, the Spikes have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, as they are now 9.5 games out of first place with only eight games left in the season...The 19 hits State College had tonight ties a season high...former Nittany Lion pitcher Gary Amato, who drafted by the Pirates this June and was recently promoted from the Gulf Coast League made his Spikes debut pitching 2.0 innings and giving up two runs.
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