Courtesy Vermont Lake Monsters

STATE COLLEGE, PA — State College scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and three Spikes pitchers combined on a two-hit, 16-strikeout shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Vermont Lake Monsters Thursday afternoon at Medlar Field.

Vermont only put two balls into play over the first three innings as Spikes starter Andre Pallante walked three and struckout seven to the 12 batters he faced. Reliever Jacob Schlesener (2-3) tossed the next five scoreless innings, allowing two hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Jack Rolston had a strikeout in perfect 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.

Lake Monsters best offensive chance came in the seventh as Jose Rivas tripled to center with one out, but then after a hit batter, Yerdel Vargas grounded into a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play.

Vermont starter Jack Cushing allowed just two hits with one walk and two strikeouts over a season-high five innings of work. Both hits came with two outs in the second and third innings, but Cushing got out of first-and-third two-out jam in third with flyout to right.

The Spikes greeted reliever Yorlenis Noa with four hits and three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Terry Fuller got the rally started with a one-out double and scored on an Andrew Warner RBI single. After a bunt single and groundout, Stanley Espinal grounded a two-run single into left giving State College a 3-0 lead.

Vermont (18-28) was shutout for a league-leading ninth time, including its fourth 3-0 loss of the season (have held opponent to three runs or less in eight of the nine shutouts).

The Lake Monsters continue the six-game roadtrip with the first of three at Aberdeen on Friday starting at 7:05 pm. The series continues Saturday at 7:05 pm and the finale 4:05 pm Sunday before Vermont returns to Centennial for a three-game homestand starting Monday.