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State College Spikes

Spikes Fall to Crosscutters, 4-2, as Club Celebrates Millionth Fan

June 17, 2013 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


STATE COLLEGE, PA - The State College Spikes dropped a 4-2 decision on the field to the Williamsport Crosscutters on Monday Night, but celebrated reaching the one million-fan milestone at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park as part of the Opening Night festivities.

State College (0-1) battled back from an early 3-0 deficit to get within a run, but Williamsport (1-0) foiled two late comeback attempts by the Spikes to hold on for the win.

After the game, nine finalists who were drawn from the 5,155 fans on hand made their way onto the field to see who would be named the Spikes' Millionth Fan as the club's all-time attendance passed the one-million mark on Opening Night. After eliminating contestants via a reverse drawing one by one, William Kenyon of State College emerged as the winner. Kenyon will receive Spikes season tickets for life, his own Spikes jersey with the number 1 and the name "Millionth" on it, the chance to "own the ballpark" for a day, and one-of-a-kind memorabilia.

In addition, Kenyon had the opportunity to win $1,000,000 by tossing four dice and landing on the PSECU symbol on all four, but succeeded in landing only one of the dice on the prize-winning symbol. Still, he received a great consolation prize and the lasting recognition of being the Spikes' Millionth Fan.

Game number one for both teams swung in Williamsport's favor early as Zach Green led off the second inning with a double and scored on Gabriel Lino's RBI single to stake the Crosscutters to a 1-0 lead. Williamsport then tacked on more runs in the fourth inning, starting with Logan Pierce's one-out single. Pierce then advanced to third base when Lino was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single into a double by Spikes right fielder Matt Young and scored on Justin Parr's single to make it 2-0, Crosscutters. Gustavo Martinez followed with a double, and one batter later, an error brought Parr in with the third run of the contest.

The Spikes' bats came alive in the bottom half of the fourth, however. Cesar Valera led off the frame with a base hit after State College had been held hitless over the first three innings, and Bruce Caldwell singled right after him. The next batter, David Washington, then grounded a ball to first base that Pierce threw right into Caldwell's back, allowing Valera to scamper home and cut the deficit to two runs. Two batters later, Carson Kelly notched the first RBI for the Spikes in 2013 as his groundout to third allowed Caldwell to make it a 3-2 game.

However, the Crosscutters' relief corps had the answers in the late innings, stranding all three runners in a bases-loade situation in the sixth inning. In the seventh frame, Trevor Martin led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was stranded there after a flyout and two strikeouts.

Alex De Leon collected his first professional base hit in the fifth inning, singling to right field. The 23rd-round draft choice of the Cardinals was the Spikes' Opening Day catcher after playing much of the college season at first base for the University of Kansas.

Martin was the lone State College player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.

Spikes starter Juan Bautista (0-1) took the loss in the opener, tossing five innings and allowing three runs, two earned, on nine hits and a walk. The Dominican right-hander also fanned four batters.

Crosscutters right-hander Mitch Gueller (1-0) earned the victory after going five innings as well. Gueller, the supplemental first-round draft choice of the Phillies in 2012, yielded two unearned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out three. Tyler Buckley (1) earned the save with a one-hit ninth inning for Williamsport.

Lino, one of five Williamsport players with multiple hits, went 3-for-4 to spearhead the 'Cutters offensive cause, driving in a pair of runs. Pullin also added a triple, while Dylan Cozens stole a piar of bases.

State College and Williamsport tangle again in the second game of their three-game set tomorrow night at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport. Right-hander Chris Perry (0-0) gets the ball for the Spikes in his professional debut. The 17th-round draft choice of the Cardinals last year out of Methodist (NC) College, Perry was out of action from the time he was selected due to a lower back injury. The Crosscutters will go with righty Drew Anderson (0-0) on the mound.

The Spikes then return home to continue the fun at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Wednesday, June 19, when they face the Crosscutters at 7:05 p.m. The first 1,000 fans of all ages will receive their very own Super Ike Action Figurine, and it's the first Half-Price Wednesday of the year, presented by BIG Froggy 101. Fans can purchase half-price Outfield Bleacher tickets, and then enjoy half-price select domestic draft beers from 6-8 p.m. as well as half-price medium sodas all game long.

Tickets for Wednesday's game, as well as every Spikes home game on the 2013 slate, are currently on sale through the Spikes Box Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person. Fans can also buy and print single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action on Tuesday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, at 6:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Historic Bowman Field. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by 95.3 FM 3WZ.

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