Sports stats



NYPL State College Spikes

Benes Smashes First Pro Homer, Spikes Fall in Extras to Crosscutters, 5-4

July 20, 2019 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Shane Benes produced his first professional home run with a two-run moon shot in the second, but the State College Spikes were overtaken late in a 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Williamsport Crosscutters on Saturday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

Benes tattooed a 2-2 pitch from Junior Tejada into the Pepsi Picnic Pavilion in left field for the dinger. The ball traveled an estimated 437 feet, which would make it the longest home run hit by a Spikes (17-18) player at home in the past three years.

Terry Fuller gave State College the early lead in the game with a two-out single in the first. Fuller has produced three runs batted in over his first four games in a Spikes uniform.

However, Williamsport (10-24) crawled back into the game after being held to two hits over the first six innings. Logan O'Hoppe's run-scoring fielder's choice in the seventh was followed by a wall-ball RBI double from Juan Aparicio in the eighth to draw the Crosscutters within one.

In the ninth, Jake Holmes reached base on a walk, went to second on a bunt, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Johan Rojas's RBI single to tie the game.

O'Hoppe then gave the Crosscutters the lead with a bases-loaded, two-run, ground-rule double in the tenth. Carlos Soto's RBI groundout scored David Vinsky for State College in the tenth, but the Spikes could not push across the tying run.

Leonardo Taveras (1-1) took the loss for State College after yielding three runs, two of them earned on two hits, two walks and a hit batsman in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Taveras also recorded one strikeout.

Spencer Van Scoyoc (1-1) picked up the win for Williamsport. Van Scoyoc threw three scoreless innings from the seventh through the ninth, walking two batters and striking out four along the way. Anton Kuznetzsov (1) allowed one unearned run on one hit in the tenth, but also notched one strikeout as he earned the save.

Aparicio went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Crosscutters.

Sunday, the Spikes and Crosscutters meet for the middle game of their three-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Right-hander Scott Politz (1-2) gets the ball for State College in the 6:05 p.m. contest, while Williamsport will go with righty Adam Leverett (0-1).

The Sunday slate includes the return of Paint the Park Purple Night, presented by Home Instead Senior Care, Juniper Village at Brookline and Grane Hospice Care. Fans are invited to join the Spikes and the Alzheimer's Association in the fight against Alzheimer's disease, with everyone encouraged to wear purple to show their support.

After the game, the skies will light up as Home Instead Senior Care, Juniper Village at Brookline and Grane Hospice Care present a fantastic FIREWORKS show.

The schedule also includes the first Community Night of the season as Clearfield County Night comes to the ballpark along with a FREE Kids Zone night.

It's also a Sunday Kids Day, presented by First National Bank, with a pre-game catch on the field, post-game Kids Run the Bases, and the first 250 kids 12 and under eating for free with a voucher good for a free hot dog, chips and small soda.

The homestand concludes with a Monday Buck Night presented by 95.3 FM 3WZ, featuring a 7:05 p.m. start.

Tickets for the games on Sunday and Monday, as well as every game on the 2019 home schedule, are currently on sale through the Spikes Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting the Ticket Office in person from 9 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-gamedays Monday through Friday.

Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action on Sunday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics, at 5:35 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by the club's flagship radio home, NEWSRADIO 1390 WRSC, as well as the TuneIn Radio app.

Check out the State College Spikes Statistics

• Discuss this story on the New York-Penn League message board...

New York-Penn League Stories from July 20, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central