The Spartans went into OCC Monday, July 25th, for their third straight matchup with the Saltcats in the Wild Card. They came into it with a series 0-2 record, hoping to snap the skid in the postseason. 

Jordan Goldmann was the starter for the Spartans, the Saltcats’ starter was Jake Baldini. The Spartans started early with the scoring. Jimmy Legg opened things up with a 2 RBI knock in the first, and Charlie Burton followed with an RBI single of his own in the top of the second. JC Ng tacked on one more to Baldini’s tough outing, plating Matthew Alexander with a double in the fourth, as Jordan Goldmann continued his scoreless outing for the Spartans. It was 4-0 Spartans midway through. 

After JC’s RBI, the Saltcats quickly took Baldini out, bringing RHP Josh Gorham out of the bullpen. Charlie Burton, Noah Roots, and Kyle Hoog immediately responded by driving three consecutive RBI singles. 7-0 Spartans. The Saltcats had to pull Gorham without him recording an out, then bringing in RHP Pruitt Spritzer, who grounded out Rob Joihnston to finally finish a 4 run fourth inning for the Spartans.

Goldmann didn’t allow his first run until the sixth inning, after a Bryce Richey bases loaded walk. The Spartans then responded with a run, as Kyle Hoog scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, that brought in LHP Carter Kowalczyk. That was the fourth Saltcats pitcher of the evening, and we were only in the top of the sixth, with two outs. He retired Pat May for out number three, making it 8-1 Spartans going into the seventh. 

Austin Dunn then took over for the Spartans in the seventh. He proceeded to throw two scoreless innings. As for the Saltcats, they went to RHP Hayden Mutz to maintain run control in the top of the ninth. Austin Dunn stepped back onto the mound in the bottom of the ninth, for the Saltcats’ last chance. Dunn then walked a couple batters en route to a finish, solidifying the Wild Card win for the Spartans.

They move onto Cortland tomorrow for a 6pm first pitch, game 1 of a 3 game series