State College PA – Happy Valley got all the drama it could handle Tuesday night as the State College Spikes pulled off a wild 7-6 walk-off win over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. In a game packed with momentum swings, clutch hitting, and late-inning heroics, the Spikes sent the home crowd into a frenzy, snatching victory on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth.
The Scrappers struck first in the opening frame. After a double by Ben Watson and a sharp triple from Daniel Stewart, Mahoning Valley grabbed an early 1-0 lead. They tacked on another right after, as Michal Sindelka’s triple made it 2-0, putting the pressure on State College early.
After a few quiet innings, the Spikes got on the board in the third. Ryan Rivera’s triple drove in Javon Hernandez, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The middle innings belonged to the Scrappers, however. In the fifth, they built their lead back up, capitalizing on a double play and singles from Max Johnson and Daniel Stewart to move ahead 4-1.
The sixth inning is where everything changed. The Spikes’ bats erupted, beginning with a single from Landen Johnson, followed by RBI singles from Hugh Pinkney and pinch-hitter Dan Tauken. After a sacrifice bunt by Matt Evans and a clutch single by Camden Ross, State College stormed ahead 5-4, capping a five-run outburst.
Both teams threatened but came up empty in the eighth. In the ninth, the Scrappers put runners aboard, but State College’s defense held strong. The bottom of the ninth was pure chaos. Singles by Javon Hernandez and Harrison Didawick set the table, and Ryan Rivera loaded the bases with another base hit. After a force out at home, it looked like extras were looming—until a wild pitch from Mahoning Valley’s August Souza allowed Didawick to sprint home with the game-winning run.
Jason Shockley picked up the win in relief, while Souza was tagged with the loss. The Spikes’ offense pounded out 13 hits, with Hernandez, Didawick, Rivera, and Ross all delivering in key moments. The Scrappers managed 8 hits, but State College’s resilience proved the difference.