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High school sports: Wyoming Area’s second-half rally powers boys soccer win

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Misericordia football overpowered in home opener against Utica

<p>Mike Papi, who graduated from Tunkhannock in 2011, has been hot with the bat lately for Double-A Akron (Cleveland) and is helping the RubberDucks make a playoff push in the Eastern League.</p><p>The outfielder saw a six-game hitting streak come to an end on Friday night, but he piled up nine hits in those games, including his fifth and sixth Double-A homer. In those last seven games, Akron has gone 5-2 to knock its magic number to secure a playoff spot in the Eastern League playoffs to three over Harrisburg with three games remaining as of Saturday.</p><p>Papi&#8217;s consistency at the plate has really been going on the whole month of August as he&#8217;s hit safely in 16 of 26 games since July 31. He entered play on July 31 with a batting average in Double-A of .184. He started the day on Saturday at .220.</p><p>For the season, between Double-A and Single-A Papi&#8217;s batting average is up 10 points since last week up to .227. He&#8217;s bashed 13 homers and is getting on base at a rate of .348. Papi has driven in 54 runs and also scored 52. He&#8217;s also boasting a .401 slugging percentage and a .749 OPS.</p><p><strong>Matt Wotherspoon</strong></p><p>Before being promoted to the RailRiders on Friday, Crestwood product Matt Wotherspoon tacked on five more scoreless innings to up his current scoreless streak to 17 innings for Double-A Trenton (Yankees).</p><p>Wotherspoon, 24, hasn&#8217;t allowed a run since Aug. 5 when he only gave up one in an appearance against Harrisburg. Last week, in two outings, he allowed just three hits and struck out four while seeing time against Portland and New Hampshire.</p><p>When three relievers were called up to New York on Friday for September call-ups, Wotherspoon was needed in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for its playoff run, which will start on Wednesday.</p><p>Since July 20, the right-hander has given up two runs in 27 1/3 innings spanning 11 appearances.</p><p>Wotherspoon has spent time in Triple-A with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season and has had success going 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA in nine games.</p><p>For Trenton, his record is 4-2 while holding a 2.66 ERA in 26 games. Combined between the two, he&#8217;s averaging just under a strikeout per inning with 86 in 87 1/3 innings, while holding opposing batters to a .197 batting average.</p><p><strong>Tony Hernandez</strong></p><p>The Hazleton Area graduate in 2015 saw his season come to and end last week at the conclusion of the Gulf Coast Yankees West regular season.</p><p>Drafted in the 15th round by the Yankees earlier this summer, the left-hander will now be getting a much-needed rest after also pitching in college for Monroe earlier this year.</p><p>The 19-year-old had a record of 2-2 record with a 5.73 ERA in his first stint as a professional ball player. He&#8217;s struck out 17 and walked 12 in 33 innings pitched since being drafted. The Gulf Coast Yankees West finished with a record of 24-31 and in last place in the Rookie League division.</p><p><strong>Ray Black</strong></p><p>The Coughlin grad ended the season for the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants) on the disabled list with an elbow issue. He had a 1-4 record and six saves in seven chances. The fireballing right-hander struck out 53 batters in just 31 1/3 innings, while posting an ERA of 4.88.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Papi </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_PapiMUG.jpg</photo0><caption0>Papi </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dave Rosengrant</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

WVC grads in the minors: Hot Mike Papi helping Akron get in playoff position