Long ball sinks Spikes in loss to Crosscutters

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Kendall Simmons hit a grand slam and Bryson Stott added two home runs as the State College Spikes fell to the Williamsport Crosscutters, 10-3, on Sunday night at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
Stott sent his first home run over the left-center field wall in the opening frame off State College (27-28) starter Junior Gonzalez (2-4) to put the Spikes behind, 1-0. Williamsport (22-34) then added six more runs in the second, capped by Simmons's slam to center field, his ninth of the season, to increase the lead beyond the Spikes' reach.
In the fourth, Stott, the Phillies' first-round draft choice in 2019, increased his homer count to five this season with a two-run homer to right field off Gonzalez.
State College did show signs of life on offense throughout the game, starting with Stanley Espinal driving in his team-leading 27^th run of the season on a fourth-inning sacrifice fly. Pedro Pages also produced a multi-hit game and knocked in a run with his singles in the sixth. Brandon Purcell completed the State College scoring by bringing in Brylie Ware with a single following the latter's ground-rule double to lead off the seventh.

Purcell and David Vinsky each produced to hits for the Spikes.
Mitch Edwards, Jake Holmes and Johan Rojas also knocked in runs for the Crosscutters.
Gonzalez took the loss for State College after yielding nine runs, eight of them earned, on seven hits and a walk over four innings. The right-hander also struck out one batter.
Williamsport reliever Victor Vargas (1-0) earned credit for the win in his debut with the club. Vargas took over for starter Tyler Burch in the fifth and allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three batters over three innings.
Despite the high score, the game lasted just two hours, 16 minutes, matching the Spikes' July 2 contest at Batavia for the shortest nine-inning game they have played this season.
The Spikes and Crosscutters will meet for the middle game of their three-game series on Monday night at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Enmanuel Solano (1-7), who leads the Spikes with four quality starts of six or more innings and three or less earned runs against him but is 1-3 in those contests, gets the ball for State College. Williamsport will go with right-hander Brett Schulze (0-0).
The scene will then shifs to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for the series finale at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, which starts an eight-game, seven-day homestand for the Spikes that continues all the way to Monday, August 19.
The homestand begins with $2 Walking Taco Tuesday presented by B94.5, then continues as the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Cleveland Indians) come to town at 7:05 p.m. for Half-Craft Wednesday presented by 99.5 THE BUS on #814InThe814 Night featuring $8.14 Field Box Tickets.
The series against the Scrappers continues with Spikestock as part of a Woodstock 50^th Anniversary Celebration and $10.59 Diamond Club Ticket Night presented by QWiK Rock 105.9 on Thursday, which will also feature Thirsty Thursday drink specials presented by BIG Froggy 101 as part of the 7:05 p.m. game. Mahoning Valley will then stick around for Bark in the Park III presented by NEWSRADIO 1390 WRSC and the Centre Daily Times on Friday at 7:05 p.m. before departing.
The Auburn Doubledays (Washington Nationals) take over as the opponent starting next weekend with four games in three days on tap, starting with a 7:05 p.m. matchup on Saturday, August 17 that features a David Taylor Appearance with a David Taylor "World Champion" Bobblehead Giveaway for the first 1,000 fans presented by The Nittany Lion Inn & The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel and State College's ESPN Radio 1450 as part of the 7:05 p.m. game on Mifflin & Juniata County Night presented by The Sentinel and WCHX 105.5 FM.
Then, the Spikes host what is now a 3:05 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday, August 18, featuring a FIREWORKS Night presented by Boyles Insurance after the second game, and a Mini-Basketball Giveaway presented by Penn State Health Medical Group for the first 1,000 fans on Coaches vs. Cancer of Penn State Night presented by HRI, Inc.
The giant homestand concludes with Wayback Monday II featuring another Trade-Any-Ticket Night on Monday at 7:05 p.m.
Tickets for all eight games, as well as every game on the 2019 home schedule, are currently on sale through the Spikes Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting the Ticket Office in person from 9 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-gamedays Monday through Friday.
Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets by clicking here.
Catch all of the action on Monday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics, at 6:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by the club's flagship radio home, NEWSRADIO 1390 WRSC, as well as the TuneIn Radio app.