State College Spikes starter Jake Cuffman started the night with a 0.00 ERA. He left Medlar Field at Lubrano Park after only throwing 28 pitches, 10 for strikes, and sporting a 7.36 ERA.
By the end of the night, the team, especially Cuffman, would come to regret this bad start.
Despite fighting back, it would be unable to overcome the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, losing the game, 5-2.
The Spikes, who were scheduled to start at 6:05, started an hour and forty-five minutes late because of a large batch of rain. This might have thrown off Cuffman's groove as he started the inning walking the first batter on four pitches. He would proceed to give up three runs on three hits, walk three and strike out one before being taken out of the game.
"He wasn't missing by much, he was just missing." Spikes manager Turner Ward said. "The balls found holes, and he couldn't find the zone. He got up to too high of a pitch count and we just had to make a move."
Brandon Williams came in to get the final out of the first inning and went on to pitch spotless for the next five innings. In those five innings, he only had to deal with two base runners, while striking out three Scrappers.
"In those situations, that's what we need," manager Turner Ward. "We need someone to come out of the bullpen and give us some innings. He came in and did a great job."
Ward, who took out Williams because he hadn't pitched in about two weeks, might have taken him out a bit early. His relief, Michael Felix, allowed two huge insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Two consecutive hits, a single and a double, secured the fourth run for Mahoning Valley (25-20). It would get one more on a sacrifice fly, essentially ending any chance for the Spikes (21-24) to mount a comeback.
"We want [Felix] in there," Ward said. "He's got the kind of arm we want to develop. It's the best ways sometimes to get through adversity."
The first State College run was scored in the fourth inning with second baseman Matt Cavagnaro tallying the RBI. He doubled off a line drive that went just under the third baseman's glove, scoring first baseman Justin Byler who was on third.
The Spikes had something brewing in the eighth when the lead-off batter, center fielder Austin McClune, got on second base off a single and an error by the left fielder. He would make it home on a single by Byler but the first baseman was thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double.
"Tonight we made a few mistakes and their hitters took advantage of that," Ward said. "The first inning was tough but we jumped out 6-1 [Saturday] and [Auburn] came back. The offense just wasn't there."
Spikes shortstop Brian Friday played in his first game at Medlar Field last night since joining the team a few weeks ago. He didn't play in the last homestand due to an injured hand but played in all of the game in the most recent road stretch. He went 1-4 with a single and strikeout last night.
McClune and Byler were the two players of note for a State College team lacking in offensive numbers. McClune was 2-3 and scored a run in the eighth. Byler was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the fourth. Both Byler and McClune are first and second in batting averages, hitting .313 and .311, respectively.
Miles Durham was a last minute scratch last night, and Daniel Rios took over his spot at designated hitter. Durham was taken out because of a possible stress fracture in his shin but which leg was not specified.
The Spikes will finish their two-game series against the Scrappers at noon today for Super Splash Day.
