STATE COLLEGE - Walker Gourley collected three hits and scored four runs, while Joely Rodriguez contributed a strong five innings on the mound to help the State College Spikes down the Jamestown Jammers, 9-3 on Thursday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
State College (29-27) got things going from the start, with Gourley delivering his first hit with one out in the bottom of the first and D.J. Crumlich doubling him in to give the Spikes a 1-0 lead. Chris Diaz then reached base on an error to allow Crumlich to score and extend the State College advantage to 2-0.
In the third inning, the Spikes broke the game wide open with a total of five hits and a walk off of Jamestown (23-31) reliever Chipper Smith. Tyler Gaffney doubled to start the flurry and Gourley followed with a double down the left-field line. Crumlich and Diaz each drove in runs on a groundout and a squeeze bunt single, respectively. Samuel Gonzalez then finished the scoring burst with a bases-loaded single to make it 6-0, State College.
Rodriguez (3-1) would face his only trouble on the night in the fourth inning, giving up four straight hits to start the frame. Jesus Vasquez helped him out, however, throwing out Jesus Solorzano from right field after the latter's run-scoring single. Viosergy Rosa's double in the frame plated the other Jammers run as Rodriguez faced the minimum amount of batters in every inning but the fourth.
The southpaw gave up a total of two runs on six hits over five innings for the win. Rodriguez also struck out two batters and picked off two runners at first base, giving him five pickoffs in his last two home starts.
The Spikes responded quickly to pump their lead back up to six runs. Gourley singled for his third hit with one out in the fourth, and came in to score on Jacob Stallings's second triple of the year to the center-field wall. Stalling would come home on a passed ball to bring the margin back up to 8-2.
Gourley also scored the final State College run in the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by Diaz after reaching base via an error.
Crumlich concluded the game 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Gourley faced a different Jammers pitcher in each of his five at-bats.
