MLBDL State College Spikes

Spikes Outlast Black Bears for Overtime Win After 2-2 Regulation Tie

Published on July 22, 2023 under Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


GRANVILLE, W. Va.-Ryan Guardino hit his third home run of the season to give the State College Spikes an early advantage, but the Spikes needed Luís Aviles to throw out the would-be winning run on the basepaths twice to put away a win over the West Virginia Black Bears in the Major League Baseball Draft League Overtime Tiebreaker following a 2-2 tie in regulation on Saturday night at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Guardino's solo blast on the first pitch he saw in the second inning landed past the Spikes (7-6 2ndHalf) bullpen, 402 feet away from home plate, for his third homer of the season. All three of the Alabama product's Spikes homers have come at Monongalia County Ballpark, and his last two came on back-to-back swings, one in the ninth inning on Friday night before his solo shot provided the overture to Saturday's action.

Aviles knocked in another Spikes run in the sixth inning with a double to left-center field that brought Carlos Contreras in from first base to extend the lead to 2-0. However, West Virginia (9-3 2ndHalf) edged closer with Patrick Lee's pinch-hit RBI groundout in the sixth to score Michael Cooper.

In the ninth inning, pinch-hitter Jacob Rybicki was hit by a pitch with one out, then stole second and plated the tying run on Cam Ridley's single off the mitt of diving second baseman Marques Paige.

It was then that Aviles's arm came to the fore, though. The Spikes catcher nabbed Ridley, who had come into the game leading the MLB Draft League's second half with 11 stolen bases in 11 attempts, to empty the bases and erase the potential winning run in the ninth.

In the MLB Draft League Overtime, West Virginia manager David Carpenter made the decision before the game to play offense and force the Spikes (7-6 2ndHalf) to notch three outs to win. Aviles proceeded to come up big again, throwing out designated runner Ben McClain, who started the inning at first base, at second.

The Spikes had to persevere to put away the win, however, as reliever Ty Pohlmann, who entered the game for the tiebreaker inning only, allowed an infield single to Cooper, walked Andres Ugarte on four pitches and, after a wild pitch, intentionally walked Lee to load the bases with two outs.

Pohlmann bore down and forced Manny Vorhees to bounce back to him for the last out, though, putting away the win.

Contreras went 2-for-4 at the plate to raise his batting average to .435, the leading mark in the MLB Draft League's second half.

No winning or losing pitcher is credited in a game that reaches the MLB Draft League Overtime Tiebreaker. Spikes starter Derrick Cherry delivered five scoreless innings at the outset, allowing two hits and four walks while striking out seven batters.

Sunday, the Spikes and Black Bears finish their weekend series with a 4:00 p.m. rubber match at Monongalia County Ballpark. State College will send left-hander Jacob Myer(0-0) to the mound to face West Virginia right-hander Mark Faello (1-1).

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Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from July 22, 2023


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