Scrappers held in check by State College

Staff report

NILES

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers were able to score just one run for the second night in a row, but they didn’t quite as good of a pitching performance at Eastwood Field on Wednesday night.

The Scrappers fell to the State College Spikes, 3-1, in a New York-Penn League baseball game, one night after the Scrappers defeated State College 1-0.

On Wednesday, the Scrappers (28-37) fell behind in the in the first inning and never caught up.

Adalberto Santos had a pair of hits in three at-bats, including a triple, to lead State College (31-33).

Cole White had a sacrifice fly and Matthew Curry a RBI single for the Spikes.

Mahoning Valley was limited to five hits, two of which were singles by Brian Heere. The left fielder also scored the Scrappers’ only run, on a triple by Kevin Fontanez, in the seventh inning.

Heere went 2 for 2 in the game, also drawing a pair of walks.

Brandon Cumpton started for the Spikes, but was pulled after three scoreless innings.

Kevin Decker (7-1), tied for second in the NYPL in wins, earned the decision by allowing three hits and one run over the next four innings.

Justin Ennis pitched a scoreless eighth and Jason Townsend finished up for his sixth save.

Michael Goodnight (0-2) took the loss for the Scrappers, allowing two runs — one earned — in 22/3 innings.

Kirk Wetmore pitched 41/3 innings, allowing just three hits and one run, while Takafumi Nakamura pitched two hitless frames.

In the seventh, Heere singled with one out and advanced to second on Tyler Cannon’s groundout. Fontanez followed with his first triple of the season to right field. Trent Baker then struck out to end Mahoning Valley’s threat.