NYPL State College Spikes

Spikes Fire on All Cylinders to Chop Down Crosscutters, 7-4

Published on July 19, 2012 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


STATE COLLEGE, PA - Clay Holmes was near-perfect over five innings on the mound, and Jacob Stallings combined with Chris Diaz to spearhead a steady offensive effort for the State College Spikes as they downed the Williamsport Crosscutters, 7-4, on Thursday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

Holmes (3-1) retired the first 14 Williamsport (11-2) batters he faced in the game before yielding a single up the middle to Yan Carlos Olmo with two outs in the fifth inning. The 19-year-old right-hander struck out four during his tenure on the mound, and increased his streak of scoreless innings for State College (16-15) to 15 while notching his third win as a professional.

Although the game was delayed 45 minutes at the outset due to rain, the Spikes wasted no time giving Holmes an early lead. Tyler Gaffney led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, and then stole second and third base before scoring on D.J. Crumlich's RBI single. Stallings then followed with the first of his three hits, doubling in Barrett Barnes to make it 2-0. Diaz completed State College's scoring in the first with a sacrifice fly.

All of the Spikes' remaining runs came with two outs. Diaz added another run batted in with a two-out single in the third inning to make it 4-0, State College. In the fifth inning, Stallings drove in Barnes with a two-out single and got to second on an error. One batter later, Diaz produced his third RBI by driving in Stallings to give the Spikes a 6-0 lead. The margin then extended to seven runs when Gaffney was hit by a pitch with two outs in the sixth and crossed the plate on Walker Gourley's double.

Williamsport would get on the board in the seventh inning when Chris Serritella hit a towering two-run homer to right-center field. In the final frame, the Crosscutters threatened briefly after Larry Greene doubled in a run and Serritella contributed his third RBI, putting the tying run on deck. However, Tom Harlan regrouped to get the final two outs and secure the Spikes' win.

Barnes and Diaz also stole bases for State College as the Spikes went 4-for-4 on the basepaths as a team.

Crosscutters starter Joshua Warner (2-2) took the loss after giving up six runs, five of them earned, on seven hits and three walks over five innings of work. Warner, who got the victory against the Spikes on Opening Night June 18, struck out two batters in Thursday's game.

Friday, the Spikes and Crosscutters meet for the second game of a four-game series. The scene shifts to Historic Bowman Field for the 7:05 p.m. matchup, which will pit State College right-hander Jason Creasy (0-2) against Williamsport left-hander Delvin Perez (2-2).

The Spikes will return home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Saturday to face the Crosscutters in a 7:05 p.m. matchup. Fans will enjoy a spectacular post-game FIREWORKS show presented by PSECU and The Sentinel. Plus, with the Summer Games in London just around the corner, the Spikes will wear special Team USA-Style jerseys for a Jersey-off-the-Back Auction presented by PSECU to benefit Children's Miracle Network. Fans can bid for the jerseys worn by each Spikes player and coach, and the winners will receive their jerseys on the field immediately after the game.

It's also Mifflin and Juniata County Night at the ballpark, presented by The Sentinel, and kids can run the bases after the game thanks to Clinical Outcomes Group, Inc. on a Spikes Student All-Stars Night.

Tickets for Friday's game, as well as every Spikes regular season home game in 2012, are currently on sale through the Spikes Box Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person. Fans can also buy and print single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action on Friday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, at 6:50 p.m. with the Spikes GameDay Show live from 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.

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New York-Penn League Stories from July 19, 2012


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