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NILES -- One day after giving up a ninth-inning, two-out lead and losing to the State College Spikes, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers didn't let one get away.
As a result, the Scrappers are off to a 3-1 start in the second half of the season.
On Saturday, the Scrappers held a one-run lead with two outs in the ninth inning, then surrendered five straight runs to lose to the Spikes.
Sunday afternoon, however, the Scrappers grabbed an early lead and never looked back in a 7-2 win over the Spikes at Eastwood Field.
With the victory, the Scrappers take three of four games against the Spikes in the opening weekend of the second half of the season.
The Scrappers scored a pair of runs in the second inning when Drew Holderbach belted a two-run home run over the left field wall. The home team tacked on a run in the third when Jake Allgeyer singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Kota Suzuki base hit.
Suzuki now has seven RBIs in three games.
The Scrappers busted things wide open with a four-run fourth inning. The first five batters of the inning all reached on singles. Isaac Williams knocked in one run, while Matt Rivera plated a pair of runs with a base hit. The fourth run crossed the plate on a double play.
Following a day off today, the Scrappers begin a six-game road trip Tuesday which will take them to Trenton and Frederick. The Scrappers return home July 29 for the start of a three-game series against West Virginia.
LONG WAY FROM HOME
By all accounts, Mahoning Valley Scrappers infielder Jake Tsukada enjoyed a memorable and successful baseball career even before the 2024 season.
Tsukada is a native of Aiea, Hawaii, where as a senior in high school he was part of a state championship team while earning All-State honors.
"It was quite a thrill, for sure one of the top highlights of my life," Tsukada said. "Baseball is big in Hawaii, everyone is familiar with all the high school teams so there's a lot of interest. It was a fun and exciting experience."
Tsukada then spent four years at the University of Portland, where in 2022 he helped take the program to its first West Coast Conference tournament in school history.
Tsukada enjoyed a successful four-year career at Portland, where he played in 158 games (143 starts). He compiled a career batting average of .283 with 158 hits, 92 runs scored and 20 doubles.
"I was blessed to spend four years at Portland, it was like a second home," Tsukada said. "It was just a great culture. The baseball program felt like one big family. I walked away from there with lifelong friends."
Still, there was one missing piece to Tsukada's baseball puzzle.
Playing in Portland meant that it was a minimum six-hour flight from family and friends, who rarely were able to see Tsukada perform at the collegiate level. It was also Tsukada's lifelong dream to play for the University of Hawaii.
"Growing up in Hawaii, we don't have any pro baseball teams so the Rainbows are our pro team," Tsukada said. "Everyone rallies around Hawaii baseball. Everyone knows the players, they go to the games and they are really interested in the program. When I was a kid, I knew all the players. I followed them, knew their stats. I wanted to be one of them one day."
So, with a degree in Finance already secure, Tsukada left Portland and headed back to Hawaii. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii, where he began working toward his Master's Degree while earning a spot on the Rainbows' roster.
This past spring with the Rainbows, the fifth-year senior batted .377 with 48 runs scored, earning All-Big West honors. In the final 15 games of the season Tsukada batted .446 with four doubles, 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored.
"This last season really was a dream come true," Tsukada said. "The biggest thrill for me was to be able to finish my college career in front of my family. That was the biggest reason for coming back home. And, to play for the team I grew up following was extra special. The way things played out, I couldn't have asked for anything better."
Baseball wasn't always easy for Tsukada, nor was it meant to be. At the urging of his father, Tsukada played up in division throughout his youth.
"I was always playing with older kids, and when you're twelve and playing on a team of 14- and 15-year-olds, it's a noticeable difference," Tsukada said. "I was always comparing my play to guys who were older and better than me and it gave me the drive and determination to constantly work on my game."
Tsukada also played football through his junior season in high school, but by then, it was evident that his 5-foot-9, 175-pound frame was more suited for the baseball diamond.
"I loved playing football. I wish I could have continued, but by then, I knew baseball was my future and I didn't want to risk injury," Tsukada said. "I know my parents were happy with the decision. In the end, it all definitely worked out for the best."
With his dream of playing at home complete, Tsukada now finds himself at Eastwood Field -- 4,600 miles from Hawaii.
He wouldn't have it any other way.
"I cherish this opportunity to continue my baseball career, to work on my skill set and to see what I can maybe bring to the table in terms of the next level," Tsukada said.
And, Tsukada is actually beginning to feel right at home in Niles.
"It's like Hawaii in that it's small and everyone seems to know everyone else. Everyone is friendly and talks to one another. It's homey," Tsukada said.
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