Sometimes emergencies and pressure can yield the best results.

That seemed to be the case last night as Spikes starter Lance Marcum, who was penciled in as a replacement for hurler Matt Lane, threw six scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and no walks.

Lane, who left the team temporarily for personal reasons, was not missed on the field as Marcum kept the Spikes in the game as they built up a come-from-behind win in the ninth over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

Marcum also has pitched out of the bullpen this year but was roughed up badly in his last start, allowing six runs in three innings on July 31 against Auburn.

Last night's performance should let him bounce back from that outing.

"A lot of times at this level, kids lose their confidence," manager Mike DeJohn said. "To bounce back, I think he understands where he got off track. He threw the ball over the middle of the plate, kept it down, and got ground balls. He had a game plan and executed it."

Even while Marcum's success last night should increase the belief in his own ability, the start gives the team more confidence in him as it prepares for the final push at the end of the season.

"If you pitch like that after a couple of games that weren't that good, it boosts our confidence in him," DeJohn said.

Although he shut down opposing hitters last night, Marcum will go back to the bullpen once Lane returns to the club.

With the team's win and excellent pitching, Marcum will be coming in for an inning or two at a time, instead of having to go five or six innings, and that should make everything seem easier, DeJohn said.

Fortunately for the Spikes, Marcum was the team's only option for the emergency start, and should remain in that position, once going back into the pen.