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NYPL State College Spikes

Nathan new for the Spikes, Southard lifts State College to 4-3 win

August 29, 2006 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


STATE COLLEGE, PA -- The State College Spikes won a thriller over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Tuesday evening by the score of 4-3. Nathan Southard, who has been the offensive hero for the Spikes all year, continued his heroics with his third walk-off RBI of the season, an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, to give the Spikes the much needed win. Southard finished the evening 3-for-5 with three RBI. With the win the Spikes move within ½ a game of Auburn for the Pinckney Division lead, as the Doubledays were rained out on Tuesday and will have a double-header in Williamsport tomorrow.

The Scrappers struck first blood on Tuesday evening after taking advantage of Spikes starter Eddie Degerman's control problems in the third inning. Degerman gave up three hits and walked two, but allowed only two runs thanks to two outfield assists from Luke Gorsett and Nathan Southard, as the pair gunned down two runners at the plate. In the bottom of the frame Southard was once again part of the action, as his two-RBI double scored Jose Salazar and Jim Rapoport to knot the game at 2-2.

After matching zeroes in the fourth and fifth, both teams picked up their scoring once the starters left the ball game. In the sixth, the Scrappers scored a single run off of Kyle Mura to take a short-lived 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the frame the Spikes continued the see-saw scoring as Jared Schweitzer plated A.J Van Slyke with an RBI single to once again draw the Spikes even at 3-3.

That is how the game would stay until the ninth inning when Southard came through in the clutch yet again. After Salazar and Rapoport walked to put two runners on with one out, Donovan Solano grounded into what seemed to be a tailor made double-play, but Solano hustled down the line and beat out the return throw to first to put runners on the corners. Southard then sent the Spikes faithful home happy with his third walk-off RBI of the season, as he smashed 1-1 fastball past a diving third baseman to score pinch runner Willian Sandoval and give the Spikes a 4-3 victory. P.J Walters(2-1) got the win for the Spikes after tossing a scoreless ninth inning.

The Spikes will close out the two-game series with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Wednesday evening when RHP Kyle Sadlowski(1-2, 3.25) makes the start for State College. Following Wednesday's game, fans will be entertained by a Fireworks Spectacular presented by Mount Nittany Medical Center. Great seats are still available for Wednesday's game and they can be purchased over the phone by calling 877-99-SPIKES, logging on to StateCollegeSpikes.com, or by visiting the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park box office.

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