Tied at three runs apiece after nine innings, the Crosscutters played one last half inning of defense and pulled out a win over State College at Bowman Field on Friday.

With Jacob Peaden on the mound, the Davidson College junior worked around a fielder’s choice, struck out his second batter and forced a flyout to right field while sitting at 95 mph. Peaden has emerged as a go-to pitcher in sudden death, having also won the first overtime period in the opening series of the summer.

“There was a reason he was out there,” Litsch said on Peaden. “That was the plan going in. If he was gonna pitch, he was gonna be in a spot in the game where we can win it. That was the plan going in, (Andrew) Walling pitched good the eighth and ninth. Overall our pitching was solid tonight. Peaden topping it off at the end was icing on the cake.”

Both teams mirrored one another with four hits and no errors throughout the night. Spikes (12-18) center fielder Jordan Williams was the only player to record multiple knocks with two.

Crosscutters second baseman Isaac Nunez tries to make the tag on Jordan Williams of the State College Spikes in the first inning at Muncy Bank Ballpark, July 8, 2022. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Williamsport (18-12) used five pitchers in regulation before Peaden stepped in and struck out a combined eight batters with five walks. On the flip side, State College struck out five and walked eight.

“There were definitely some good plays,” Litsch said. “Jax (Cash) behind the dish threw a couple guys out, which was nice. (Isaac) Nunez had some good tags. Overall, having our defense out there, I’m pretty confident on plays being made. Likewise on the other side, they play the game the right way as well.”

NC State commit Michael Gupton led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to the left wall. At the top of the order, Matthew Etzel drove him in with a double of his own.

From there, Etzel worked his way home on a pair of fielder’s choices to tie the game at three runs apiece.

“We’re aggressive. We’ve been aggressive all year,” Litsch said. “I kind of give them the free reign to do what they need to do on the bases and it’s worked out well. We had some good situational hitting there to score Etzel that inning and it kept us there and pitching kept us there ultimately until the end of the game.”

Crosscutters catcher Jax Cash and starting pitcher Wesley Scott talk as they walk off the first after the first inning against the State College Spikes at Muncy Bank Ballpark, July 8, 2022. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

With runners on the corners, designated hitter Alex Toral crushed a 385-foot three-run homer over the right wall, giving the Spikes a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning.

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Crosscutters short stop Josue Urdaneta fields a ball hit by Keshawn Ogans of the State College Spikes in the first inning at Muncy Bank Ballpark, July 8, 2022. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Despite sitting in last place in the standings, State College leads the MLB Draft League in home runs with 22.

“They’ve got a good, solid club over there. From the manager down, they know what they’re doing,” Litsch said. “They have a good idea of how to play the game and from the arms to the hitters, it’s never an easy task. That’s how we go about it, play the game until the end and you never know what can happen.”

The Spikes loaded the bases with one out in the opening frame, but Williamsport stranded them with a popup to second base and a strikeout. In response, Daniel Harris drove in Etzel from second base on a ground ball to left field.

“For me, it’s good,” Litsch said on the sudden death format. “There’s a winner, an outcome every game. It’s nice, we’re able to dictate the beginning of the game whether we’re gonna hit or field and for us, we’re gonna pitch because we got some good arms.”