UNIVERSITY PARK The State College Spikes put together a late rally in the seventh inning Sunday, but fell to the Williamsport Crosscutters, 4-3, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
State College (1-2) was able to cut into a three-run deficit in the seventh without a ball leaving the infield. Two infield singles combined with a hit batsman, two bases on balls and a missed infield tag combined to draw the Spikes within a run.
Williamsport (2-1) took the lead in the first inning on Stephen Batts' three-run home run over the wall in right field. The Crosscutters extended their lead to 4-0 in the fifth when Batts doubled and was singled in by T.J. Warren.
Spencer Arroyo (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Williamsport, going 2 1-3 innings without allowing a hit. Arroyo walked two and struck out one in relief of 'Cutters starter Freddy Ballestas. Austin Hyatt picked up his first save with a 1-2-3 ninth for Williamsport.
State College starter Nelson Pereira (0-1) took the loss, going three innings while allowing three runs on six hits. Pereira walked one and struck out four in the effort.
Edward Garcia went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a walk for State College.
Monday, the Spikes travel to meet the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. Right-hander Kyle McPherson is slated to join State College on Monday and start that night's 7:05 p.m. game against an unannounced Mahoning Valley starter.
Saturday's game
WILLIAMSPORT - Pirates' first-round draft choice Tony Sanchez delivered the game-winning single in his professional debut to give the State College Spikes the win, 4-3, over the Williamsport Crosscutters at Historic Bowman Field on Saturday night.
Sanchez drove in Jose Hernandez in the top of the ninth inning to break a 3-all tie. The fourth overall pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, Sanchez arrived in State College on Saturday morning, and entered the game to catch in the bottom of the sixth.
The Spikes had taken the lead in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of a string of Williamsport mistakes to score three runs. Two passed balls and a balk, along with an RBI single by Justin Byler and a sacrifice fly by Matt Payne, gave the Spikes a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, though, Jeremy Barnes tied the game with a one-out solo home run to left field to tie the game at 3, setting up Sanchez's heroics.
The game was delayed 95 minutes from the original start time of 7:05 p.m. due to rain in the Williamsport area.
Mike Williams (1-0) pitched the eighth and ninth innings for State College to pick up the victory, allowing two hits while striking out one.
Jordan Ellis (0-1) took the loss for Williamsport, pitching the ninth inning and allowing the game-winning run on three hits while striking out two.
