Cyclones 2
State College 1
Aug. 10 at MCU Park
L.J. “Mini-Maz” Mazzilli and Gavin Cecchini drove in the runs early Brooklyn pitchers allowed only two hits in the win over State College.
Patrick “To Infinity and” Biondi led off the game with a double to left field and Cecchini followed up with a single to put runners on the corners. Mazzilli then hit an sacrifice fly to right field to score Biondi.
In the fourth, State College pitcher Willy Paulino walked Ismael “T.J.” Tijerina and Anthony Chavez back-to-back. After Nick Petree replaced Paulino, Cecchini hit an RBI single to left to score Tijerina.
Brooklyn’s starter John Gant held the Spikes without a hit until the sixth inning, when Cesar Valera broke the no-hitter bid with an infield single. Valera moved to second on a David Washington walk and made it home off an RBI single by Carson Kelly.
But the Spikes didn’t record another hit the rest of the way, as relievers John Mincone and Johnny Magliozzi combined to pitch three hitless innings to close the game out.
Manager Rich Donnelly said the success of the three Johns was essential to stretching a thin bullpen.
“We needed that,” he said. “We were a little short in the bullpen tonight. (Gant) gave us a good six innings, and it was a great job by him and by Mincone and Mags to close it out.”
The Cyclones return to MCU Park tonight to try to take two of three from the Spikes. The first pitch will be at 5 pm.
Brooklyn Cyclones at MCU Park (Surf Avenue and W. 16th Street in Coney Island, www.brooklyncyclones.com) on Aug. 11 at 5 pm.
Follow the Cyclones all season long at brooklynpaper.com/sections/sports/cyclones/
