Doubledays Waste Early Lead in 9-7 Loss
July 7, 2015 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Auburn Doubledays News Release
AUBURN, NY - The Doubledays went up went up 4-0 in the first inning, but the Spikes didn't waste anytime tying it up and eventually taking the lead en route to a 9-7 victory.
Andrew Stevenson and Edwin Lora led off the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles, and Stevenson later scored on a fielder's choice by Matt Page while Lora was out at third. Randy Encarnacion stepped up next and hit a three-run homer, his second of the season, to give Auburn a 4-0 lead.
In the second, State College responded. The Spikes scored three runs thanks to three singles, a double, and an error to pull within one. In the home half of the inning, Auburn added to its lead. Dalton Dulin walked and Erik VanMeetren singled to lead off the inning. Dulin scored on a groundout to second from Stevenson and VanMeetren scored on a double from Lora.
State College added a run in the third on back-to-back doubles by Harrison Bader and Cole Lankford before tying the game up at six in the fourth. Three singles and an error helped Craig Aikin and Mike Pritchard score in the fourth to tie the game at six.
In the sixth inning, R.J. Dennard recorded the biggest hit of his young career. After ending an 0-22 streak to start his career with a single in the second, he hit a bases clearing double in the sixth to give the Spikes a 9-6 lead.
After a scoreless seventh and eighth, Auburn started a small rally in the ninth. Dulin and VanMeetren singled with one out and Dulin was later brought in on a fielder's choice off the bat of Stevenson. With the tying run at the plate and Stevenson on first, Lora grounded out to second to end the ball game.
A couple other things of note, Carson Cross and Tyler Bray, the second and third relievers for State College, pitched a tremendous third through six innings. 10 of the 12 outs the duo recorded came by groundouts. The only other outs were looking strikeouts.
Mariano Rivera III made his first professional start for Auburn and finished with the following line: 3 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, and 1 K. Greg Tomchick started for State College and had the line of 2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, and 1 K. Three relievers for the Spikes (Cross, Bray, and Pedro Echemendia) were solid in relief with the combined line: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, and 4 K.
The Doubledays have tomorrow off before returning on Wednesday. Auburn visits Batavia on Wednesday at 7:05 PM on the road at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia, NY.
Monday's Particulars:
WP - Carson Cross (1-1)
LP - McKenzie Mills (0-1)
SV - Pedro Echemendia (1)
HR - AUB: Randy Encarnacion (2), SC: None
New York-Penn League Stories from July 7, 2015
- O.J. Brigance to be Honored on July 8 - Aberdeen IronBirds
- Doubledays Waste Early Lead in 9-7 Loss - Auburn Doubledays
- Scrappers Swept - Mahoning Valley Scrappers
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