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The South toppled the North in All-Star action

By BRIAN CARSON

UNIVERSITY PARK – The South got off to a hot start and never let up in a 71 victory over the North in the New York-Penn League All-Star game at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Tuesday evening in front of 3,048 fans.

Ross Adolph (Brooklyn) went 2-for-3 with a solo homer, a triple, and three RBIs for the South to capture the MVP of the game.

“I just wanted to come out here and have fun. It is an awesome feeling to win the MVP award and to play with and against these great players,” Adolph said.

South pitchers limited the North to one unearned run while giving up seven hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.Matthew Hammonds (Aberdeen) got the win for the South, while Jose Vasquez (Connecticut) suffered the loss for the North.

A three-run first inning by the South gave the home squad an early lead forcing the North to play come from behind the rest of the game.

State College’s Nick Dunn led things off in the first with a base hit to right, Tyler Freeman (Mahoning Valley) walked, and Adolph brought both of them home with a triple to straightaway center. Edwin Rodriguez followed with a sacrifice fly to center, plating Adolph.

“As soon as I found out he went to Toledo – the same school I went to – I moved him into the three-hole,” South and Spikes manager Joe Kruzel said. “He came through for us. He had a couple of good swings and took advantage of it.”

The North made it 3-1 with a run in the second. Tyler Dearden (Lowell) reached on a throwing error by Freeman, went to third on a double by Korby Batesole (Lowell), and scored on an RBI groundout to short by Kyle Marinconz (Auburn).

The South put runners on first and third when North pitcher Angel Guillen (Auburn) reached the All-Star rule limit of 25 pitches per inning, forcing the South to end the inning without a chance to bring the runners home.

Adolph put the South up 4-1 with a solo shot to right field in the bottom of the third. Two more runs came across in the inning when Rodriguez reached on an infield single, Rafael Marchan (Williamsport) singled to right, and Travis Swaggerty, number one pick by the Pirates this year, brought both home with a knock to left, making it 6-1.

Willy Yahn led off the fourth for the South with a triple to leftand scored on a wild pitch from Brandon Withers (Vermont) – giving the South a 7-1 advantage. Yahn was 2-for-2 in the game with a double and a triple.

Dunn had the only hit for the Spikes entries, going 1-for-2 with a walk. Edwin Figuera and Delvin Perez both went 0-for-2.

The South out-hit the North 12-7. Eric De La Rosa (Connecticut) led the North with two hits.

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