MLBDL State College Spikes

Harden Starts Fireworks Early, Walk-off Gives Spikes 3-2 Win Over Thunder

August 2, 2023 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The fireworks from the field slate starts on Thursday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, but Payton Harden gave State College Spikes fans an early taste of that energy with a walk-off double down the left field line to send the Spikes past the Trenton Thunder, 3-2, on Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

Harden lined a 1-0 pitch inside the stripe to bring in pinch-runner Zac Vooletich with the game-winning run and give him his third double of the evening. The McNeese State product already scored the winning run on a game-ending, ninth-inning wild pitch in the second half opener of the Major League Baseball Draft League season on July 7.

The walk-off win put the exclamation point on a pitcher's duel that featured quality starts on both sides. Spikes (11-10 2ndHalf) starter Sebastian Rodriguez improved on an outstanding performance in his first start last Tuesday with the longest outing by any State College pitcher to date in 2023. Rodriguez lasted seven inning and yielded two runs, with only one earned due to a first-inning error, on four hits and a walk.

The Point Park (Pa.) product also recorded seven strikeouts for the second straight start, and threw 95 pitches, 63 of them for strikes.

Reliever Justin Miller (2-0) followed Rodriguez on the mound and earned the win with two scoreless innings. Miller allowed two walks and no hits while striking out four batters.

Trenton (10-9 2ndHalf) starter Lane Miller also starred on the hill, giving up one run on four hits and a walk while recording nine strikeouts, a season high for any Thunder hurler.

After Trenton (10-9 2ndHalf) took the lead in the first as Kolby Johnson reached base via error, stole second base and scored on Ramon Jimenez's groundout, the Spikes tied the game in the fifth with Harden's first double of the night, a Carlos Contreras single, and a Thunder error to bring in Harden.

Angel Mendoza doubled in Justin Guerrera with two outs in the seventh to put Trenton out in front again, but Josh Leslie knocked in Harden from second after his second double of the game to tie the score at 2-2 in the bottom half.

Logan Mathieu led off the bottom of the ninth with a long fly ball to center for a double before being lifted for Vooletich. Marques Paige then walked to set up Harden's heroics two batters later.

David Stiehl (0-1) took the loss after entering the game in the ninth and allowing the winning run.

Contreras also put together a three-hit game for the Spikes, including two doubles.

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