In last Wednesday's game against the Vermont Lake Monsters, State College centerfielder Ciro Rosero looked up at a fly ball and threw his hands up.

It didn't matter. The ball went well over the center field fence, the second home run hit off of Spikes reliever Brian Leach in a rough outing. He let up four runs in four innings.

Last night, in his first start as a Spike, Leach had a completely different outcome.

The right-hander from Mississippi pitched five innings of one-hit baseball, allowing just one run, albeit unearned.

But it was for waste. For the second straight night the Spikes (5-15) could not generate any offense against the Oneonta Tigers (11-10), losing 4-1, at Damaschke Field in Oneonta, N.Y.

As Leach was throwing in the bullpen prior to the game, he had no clue he would be as dominant as he was.

"I didn't," Leach said. "I actually had the worst bullpen ever."

But what happened was what usually happens when pitchers go out on the mound after a self-admitted awful bullpen session. The only hit he let up, a single to Eric Harryman wasn't hit hard. It was a "nubber" hit at third baseman Matt Payne, whose throw eluded first baseman Calvin Anderson.

Despite allowing only one hit, Leach was pulled after the fifth inning because he had thrown 58 pitches. The Pittsburgh Pirates have a 65 pitch maximum for Leach along with the other Spikes pitchers.

The explanation in Leach's performance may come from Pirates' player development advisor Rich Donnelly who was with the Spikes for the Tigers series as manager Brad Fischer was away attending his son's wedding.

"Coach Donnelly, he told us not to worry about ERAs," Leach said. "[Just] work on your stuff."

Another factor was Leach's ability to be mentally prepared for his start along with keeping his fastball down around the knees.

Now, Leach has made a case for being a starter instead of pitching out of the bullpen or being the back end of a piggyback.

"I really do prefer being a starter," Leach said. "I like that pressure, that feeling that I'm in control."

Leach left with a no decision, in part because State College has started to regress offensively. From Thursday through Saturday, the Spikes averaged nearly nine runs per game. But last night was the second night in a row that they scored only one run.

State College managed eight hits for the game, three by designated hitter Cole White and two by left fielder David Rubinstein, who is starting to hit after a woeful start to the season as his batting average dropped to .098.

The Spikes can figure out their offensive woes today as they have their first off day of the season. The loss drops them eight games behind division leader Jamestown.