STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Nick Kingham got his first professional victory on Friday night as he combined with Mike Jefferson and Mitch Fienemann to help the State College Spikes make their early lead over the Staten Island Yankees stand up in a 2-1 win at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.
The Spikes' (8-20) victory also stopped an 11-game losing streak on the road, and marked the club's second victory ever on the road against Staten Island (21-5).
Kingham (1-2), who was originally slated to pitch in relief on Thursday before getting the start Friday, sprayed four Staten Island hits over five innings and recorded one strikeout. The right-hander from Las Vegas, Nev., was aided by Carlos Mesa's throw to double off Yankees right fielder Ben Gamel in the third inning.
State College (8-20) took the lead in the third inning when Taylor Lewis beat out an infield grounder and reached third base thanks to a throwing error by third baseman Casey Stevenson. Lewis then scored on Kyle Singer's RBI groundout to make it 1-0, Spikes. Samuel Gonzalez went on to follow that with a double of his own and Chris Lashmet's subsequent RBI double plated Gonzalez to give the Spikes a lead they would not relinquish.
The Yankees scored a run in the eighth inning when Wes Wilson led off with a double and came home on Cody Grice's sacrifice fly, but Fienemann (4) delivered a perfect ninth inning to close it out and preserve the State College victory.
Jefferson allowed the lone Staten Island run on two hits while striking out two over a total of three innings. Fienemann added a pair of strikeouts as well for the Spikes, who held the Yankees to just six hits after allowing a total of 26 hits over the prior two games.
Lashmet was the only Spike with multiple base hits in the game, and was one of three Spikes players with extra-base hits.
The win was the first for the Spikes in Staten Island since July 21, 2007.
Wilton Rodriguez (0-3) started and took the loss for Staten Island, allowing both State College runs on six hits and two walks. Rodriguez did strike out six batters in the effort.
Saturday, the Spikes head back to Pennsylvania to start a three-game series with the Williamsport Crosscutters. The 7:05 p.m. matchup will be the only contest of the set at historic Bowman Field before the scene shifts to Medlar Field on Sunday and Monday. State College is scheduled to have right-hander Matt Benedict (1-0) on the mound Saturday, while Williamsport is slated to send righty Colin Kleven (1-1) to the hill.
