Nick Thompson punctuated a big 1st inning that set the tone for the decisive Game 3 of the New York-Penn League Championship Series. Danny Diekroeger drew a 1-out walk in front of Thompson. Thompson then drilled a home run over the left field wall. Alex De Leon kept the power going as he laced a double to right. Adam Ehrlich got on base thanks to an error in left that moved De Leon to third. Luis Cruz brought them both home with his own double to right. The ValleyCats pulled Austin Chrismon for Robert Kahana at that point, and he did not fair any better. Brett Wiley immediately ripped a triple to score Cruz, and he dashed home on a wild pitch. The Spikes tallied 6 runs in the 1st on their way to trouncing Tri-City to take home the title.
State College Spikes 11
Tri-City ValleyCats 2
State College Wins Series 2-1
Game Highlights
State College brought home 4 more runs in the 6th inning. Diekroeger and Thompson led off with back-to-back singles to left. De Leon drew a walk to load the bases, and Ehrlich drew another to score Diekroeger. Cruz singled through the hole into left to score Thompson and De Leon. Collin Radack shot a single to right to reload the bases. Ehrlich crossed the plate for the final Spike run thanks to an error at third on a ball put in play by Robelys Reyes.
Daniel Poncedeleon got the ball in the deciding game for the Spikes and dominated the ValleyCats. Poncedeleon tossed 6 scoreless innings surrendering 3 singles and a walk while striking out 5. Joshua Lucas took over in the 7th and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits including a solo home run while striking out a pair. Nick Lomascolo handled the 8th giving up just 1 walk while striking out 1. With the Championship on the line, Oliver Marmol handed the ball to his closer, Kyle Grana. Grana struck out the side in the 9th, finishing the game on a swinging strike 3. The Spikes then rushed the field to celebrate their first New York-Penn League Championship.
Player Highlights
SS Reyes 1-for-6
3B Diekroeger 3-for-5, 3B, 3 R, BB
RF Thompson 2-for-6, 2 R, 2-run HR
1B De Leon 1-for-4, 2B, 2 R, BB
DH Ehrlich 1-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
C Cruz 2-for-5, 2B, R, 4 RBI
LF Wiley 2-for-5, 3B, R, RBI
CF Radack 3-for-5
Poncedeleon 6 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K
Lucas 1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 K
Lomascolo 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
Grana 1 IP, 3 K
