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NYPL State College Spikes

Cruz Homers to Propel Spikes' 5-1 Win over Crosscutters

August 31, 2014 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


WILLIAMSPORT, PA - Luis Cruz drilled a three-run home run in the eighth inning after his sixth-inning single tied the game, helping the State College Spikes to stay in a tie for the top playoff seed in the New York-Penn League with a 5-1 victory over the Williamsport Crosscutters on Sunday evening at Susquehanna Bank Park at Historic Bowman Field.

With the win, the Spikes (47-28) matched Tri-City's win over Vermont to keep the top seed deadlocked with one game remaining. Hudson Valley also stood a chance to rejoin the three-way tie as their matchup against Aberdeen was delayed three hours, 10 minutes by rain before beginning at Ripken Stadium.

Cruz, who scored the game-winning run for the Spikes (47-28) in the bottom of the 15th inning early Sunday morning against Batavia to end the longest game in franchise history, smashed his second homer of the year down the left-field line off Williamsport (33-42) reliever Ricky Bielski to end the scoring against the Crosscutters.

State College had taken the lead in the seventh inning when 2014 team MVP Danny Diekroeger doubled to score Darren Seferina and make it a 2-1 game. Diekroeger, Cruz and Alex De Leon all collected three hits for the Spikes, who compiled 14 hits as a team.

Brett Wiley also produced two doubles for State College.

Williamsport opened the game by taking the lead on Cord Sandberg's solo home run, his sixth of the year, off Spikes starter Trey Nielsen in the first inning. Nielsen would rebound to go a career-long five innings, though, yielding just three hits and a walk while striking out a career-high seven batters in a no-decision.

Tyler Dunnington (1-0), who joined the Spikes on Sunday from the Gulf Coast League Cardinals, earned the win in relief with three scoreless frames. Dunnington allowed two hits and a walk while notching three strikeouts. Kevin Alexander, another Sunday addition from the GCL Cardinals, finished the game for State College by striking out the side in order in the ninth.

Crosscutters reliever Manny Martinez (1-3) took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run on three hits over his lone inning of work. Martinez struck out one batter in the effort.

Sandberg's homer in the first ended a 29-inning scoreless streak for Williamsport in games against State College, which stretched back to June 28.

Monday, the Spikes and Crosscutters meet in the regular season finale at Susquehanna Bank Park at Historic Bowman Field, with home field in at least one playoff series the potential prize for State College. Left-hander Austin Gomber (1-2), who earned his first professional win with seven shutout innings against Williamsport on Wednesday, gets the ball for the Spikes in the 1:05 p.m. Labor Day matinee. The Crosscutters will go with right-hander Feliberto Sanchez (3-8) on the mound.

The Spikes will then head into the New York-Penn League playoffs starting on Wednesday, with a schedule to be determined by the action on Monday. If State College is either the first or second playoff seed in the four-team format, Game 1 of the Semifinal Series will be at the opponent on Wednesday, with the Spikes home at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for Game 2 on Thursday and Game 3, if necessary, on Friday.

If State College is the third playoff seed, Game 1 will be at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Wednesday, with the rest of the Semifinal Series games on the road.

The winners of each best-of-three NYPL Semifinal Series then meet in the best-of-three NYPL Championship Series.

Fans can purchase Four-Game Playoff Packs in anticipation of potential Spikes' home games during the 2014 NYPL playoffs. Four-Game Playoff Packs start as low as just $16 per seat and include a $2 per game savings off the single-game price. In addition, each seat purchased as part of a Four-Game Playoff Pack will come with a free, limited-edition 2014 Spikes playoff t-shirt while supplies last. Four-Game Playoff Packs can be purchased at the Spikes Box Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person.

Single-game playoff tickets will also be available to fans at the Spikes Box Office and online at StateCollegeSpikes.com beginning on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.

Catch all of the action on Sunday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, at 12:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Susquehanna Bank Park at Historic Bowman Field. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by 95.3 FM 3WZ, and on the 3WZ mobile apps, available on Google Play and the App Store.

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New York-Penn League Stories from August 31, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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