Spikes' rally falls short in 8-6 loss to Muckdogs

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Lars Nootbaar recorded his second multi-hit game as a professional, and the State College Spikes staged a furious ninth-inning rally, but came up just shy in a 8-6 loss to the Batavia Muckdogs on Sunday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

Trailing by four runs going into the ninth, the Spikes (3-7) edged into the deficit with Nick Dunn 's one-out RBI double. After Delvin Perez struck out, Justin Toerner drew a walk and Wadye Ynfante was hit by a pitch to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with the bases loaded.
That go-ahead run, Wood Myers , then singled up the middle to score a run, but the Muckdogs (4-5) eliminated Toerner on the basepaths to finish the game.
Nootbaar, the eighth-round draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals out of USC in 2018, went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.
State College took the lead in the fifth with a four-run frame to take a 4-1 lead. Dunn's bases-loaded walk, a wild pitch and a two-run single from Ynfante provided the runs.
However, Batavia responded with a four-run inning of its own in the sixth thanks to Sean Reynolds 's bases-loaded walk and a bases-clearing, three-run double by Denis Karas .
Reynolds then smashed a three-run homer, his second of the season, to right-center field in the seventh to extend the Muckdogs lead.
Batavia opened the scoring with Igor Baez 's RBI single in the second inning, marking just the second time this season that State College did not score the first run of the game.
Spikes reliever Jacob Schlesener (0-1) took the loss after allowing two runs on one hit and two walks in one-third of an inning.
Muckdogs reliever Manuel Rodriguez (1-0) picked up the win with 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Rodriguez allowed all three runners he inherited in the fifth to score, but yielded just three hits and a walk while striking out one batter.
Doug Domnarski (1) got the save after notching the last out of the game for Batavia.
Monday, the Spikes and Muckdogs meet at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for the middle game of their three-game series. The 7:05 p.m. matchup will feature right-hander Franyel Casadilla (1-0) on the mound for State College against Batavia right-hander Humberto Mejia (0-1), who saw his start bumped one day when the Muckdogs were rained out on Saturday.
Fans can take it easy on the wallet on Monday Buck Night, presented by 95.3 FM 3WZ, with $1 Outfield Bleacher seats, $1 hot dogs, $1 small sodas and $1 peanut boats all game long.
Plus, fans of age can enjoy a MillerCoors Happy Hour, with half-price Miller Lite and Coors Light drafts available from 6-8 p.m.
The Spikes will then finish their series against Batavia with a 7:05 p.m. game on a $2 Walking Taco Tuesday, presented by B94.5, with the first BB&T Books & Baseball Night of the year also on the slate.
Tickets for the games on Monday and Tuesday, as well as the 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game presented by the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau and every game on the 2018 Spikes 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 10 a.m to the end of the game on Sunday. Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
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 6:35 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. 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.