Radeke shuts down Spikes

Photo by: Nick Mays

Photo

(8) Todd Hankins of the Scrappers slides into third as Wes Freeman tries to make the play Sunday afternoon in Niles.

By Jon Moffett

sports@vindy.com

NILES

Mason Radeke said he was a little bit rusty when he took the mound for his first start as a Mahoning Valley Scrapper.

The 21-year-old hurler said he wasn’t exactly nervous about the start. But he did say he could have done better.

If he does, look out, New York-Penn League.

Radeke went five innings and was virtually untouched, propelling the Scrappers to an 8-1 victory over the slumping State College Spikes at Eastwood Field on Sunday. Radeke allowed one run on three hits, walking one and striking out four.

“It was the first time I pitched since May 29, the last game of my [college] season,” Radeke said. “But I felt good out there. It was nice to be back out on the mound and competing again.”

Starting pitching was the story of the game. If Radeke (1-0) and the Scrappers (7-3) were rusty, then the Spikes (2-8) were corroded. Starter Mike Jefferson (0-1) lasted only two-thirds of an inning, giving up six runs in the first.

He tossed just 33 pitches — and five of them were returned by the Scrappers’ bats.

The Scrappers, who won their first series-opener of the season and are tied with Jamestown for first place in the Pinckney Division, had 12 hits. And the arms allowed just five for the Spikes.

Outfielder Jordan Smith had three hits, scored once and had an RBI. Todd Hankins had three RBIs and scored once. Kevin Fontanez and Tony Wolters each scored twice and K.C. Serna brought in a pair.

First-year manager David Wallace said getting out to an early lead took a lot of pressure off the team.

“I was really happy with our two-strike approach,” Wallace said. “A lot of those hits came with two strikes, and we just battled and put the ball in play.

“And good things happen when you put the ball in play,” Wallace said. “We saw a couple of hits drop in that kept a rally going, and obviously there were a couple of balls that were well struck.

“That’s how those things happen,” he added. “You just have to take advantage of what the defense gives you.”

And the Scrappers’ defense wasn’t giving up much either.

The team turned two double plays. Both of them came on baserunning blunders by the Spikes. Twice a liner to a Mahoning Valley infielder caught the Spikes like deer in the headlights and caused them to be doubled off the base.

“We had the good fortune that a couple of the balls they did hit hard were right at us, and that’s just the way it is sometimes,” Wallace said. “We’ll take it when it goes our way and be happy with it.”

Not only was getting out to a fast start in the game crucial, but the series as well.

The Scrappers and Spikes will play twice more at Eastwood Field before a three-game series at State College.

Wallace said the ability to force the Spikes to use their bullpen early in the series could potentially benefit the Scrappers later. The Spikes used four pitchers.

“We’ll try to ride this momentum throughout the next five games,” Wallace said. “Defense sets the tone and the starting pitcher sets the tone. And we’ve gotten some great efforts out of our starting pitchers lately, and that’s a large reason for our success lately and this year.”