Aside from a misplayed routine fly ball to center field, the Williamsport Crosscutters didn't manage a base hit off State College Spikes pitching from the second inning through the seventh inning.
However, the eighth inning made all the difference.
The rival Crosscutters scored six runs on five hits in the eighth en route to a 9-5 win against the Spikes Wednesday night in front of 4,014 fans at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
"It just got out of control," State College manager Gary Robinson said. "I think that we got into a panic mode, which is unusual for us of late. I think we let the game speed up on us, and we weren't able to slow it down."
Kevin Decker started the eighth on the mound for the Spikes (20-19). The right-hander had retired the side in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and allowed just one hit in the seventh, a Cameron Rupp double on a misplayed fly ball by Mel Rojas Jr. Decker got Jake Smith to ground out to start the inning before he encountered trouble, allowing a walk, two singles and a double.
Decker, who was tagged with his first loss since his junior season at the College of Charleston, said he got tired toward the end of his outing and left some fastballs up in the zone that the Cutters took advantage of.
"I went through the order one time and was throwing all fast balls," Decker said of his success before the eighth inning. "I know I probably should've mixed up my pitch selection a little bit, but I mean the fastball was working."
Trent Stevenson relieved Decker, and didn't fare much better. Stevenson walked Rupp on four pitches before allowing two straight doubles. Seven consecutive Cutters (23-16) reached base on five hits in the game-altering eighth inning.
Stevenson allowed two more runs in the ninth, giving Williamsport a four-run lead.
Williamsport got out in front early off State College starting pitcher Colton Cain, scoring a run on an RBI single to left field by Cutters left fielder Miguel Alvarez.
A two-run double to right field by State College designated hitter Cole White put the Spikes in front in the third inning, and an RBI triple by shortstop Gift Ngoepe two batters later made it 3-1.
State College increased its lead to three runs when center fielder Mel Rojas Jr. singled up the middle to score White from second.
Both teams put up zeros on the scoreboard until the eighth, when Williamsport put up the six runs to State College's one. The Cutters added two more in the ninth on a groundball that saw two errors. The Spikes put two runners in scoring position in the ninth, but failed to score any more runs.
Left fielder Pat Irvine and White led the Spikes from the plate, combining for six of the 10 State College base knocks.
Decker said Wednesday night's game was important, as it was the first game of the second half of the season.
"You want to forget the first half, no matter what you did statistically wise, you can wipe that out and have a good second half," Decker said. "You just want to start out good for the first game of the second part of the season and make a run at it."
The Spikes hope to take the second of their two-game set at 7:05 tonight at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pa.
