Collura, Salvaggio Homer to Send Spikes to 6-5 Win over Crosscutters
MLBDL State College Spikes

Collura, Salvaggio Homer to Send Spikes to 6-5 Win over Crosscutters

Published on August 21, 2025 under Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Jaden Collura hit his first home run of the MLB Draft League season and T.J. Salvaggio homered for the second straight night to provide some much-needed insurance as the State College Spikes clinched a series sweep with a 6-5 victory over the Williamsport Crosscutters on Thursday night at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.

The win was the Spikes' (15-18 2nd Half) third straight one-run victory over the Crosscutters (15-17 2nd Half), and dampened Williamsport's hopes of mounting a comeback in the MLB Draft League Second Half standings. The Crosscutters are now eight games back of first-place West Virginia with 12 games remaining in the season.

Collura's solo shot went off the foul pole in right field to lead off the seventh to give the Spikes a 4-1 lead, which extended to 5-1 when Cole Caruso drove in Salvaggio later on in the same frame.

However, the Crosscutters rallied to score three runs in the seventh, putting the score at 5-4 when Salvaggio drilled the first pitch he saw from reliever Davis Blair 381 feet over the left-center field wall in the eighth to bump the lead back to two runs and bump his home run count to three for the season.

The insurance came in handy when Marcus Brodil cleared the right field fence to the tune of 391 feet in the ninth for a solo shot to draw Williamsport within one run before Dylan Cheeley struck out T.J. Racherbaumer two batters later to end the game.

Spikes starter Carter Holjes (2-2) tossed five innings of one-run ball to earn the win. Holjes allowed four hits and four walks while striking out eight batters, giving him a 63-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 44 2/3 innings spanning both halves of the MLB Draft League season.

Williamsport starter Reilly Shafer (1-5) took the loss after being charged with three runs, two of them earned, on five hits, four walks and two hit batsmen while notching three strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.

Friday, the Spikes come back home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to start a two-game mini-series against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers with a 6:35 p.m. matchup. Right-hander Alec Sparks (1-1) is scheduled to start on the mound for State College.

The game starts a stretch of six straight home contests to conclude the Spikes' regular season home schedule, and it's the last 4-Pack Friday of the season presented by 93.7 3WZ, with four of our best seats, four hot dogs and four regular sodas available for just $54. 4-Pack Friday packages can be purchased either in person at the Spikes Ticket Office or by phone at 814-272-1711 and are not available online.

After the game, it's another edition of Kids Run the Bases presented by Mount Nittany Health.

Fans of age can also enjoy a Michelob Ultra/Yuengling Happy Hour, with half-price drafts of both varieties from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Highlights of the rest of the stretch include Elgses Night with a Jersey-off-the-Back Auction to benefit the Eagles Autism Foundation and Central PA Autism Community, an Elgses T-Shirt Giveaway, and more Philly-centric fun on Saturday, August 23, two more FIREWORKS From the Field opportunities for the first 150 fans with FIREWORKS shows presented by Penn State Health on Saturday, August 23 and by Starfire Corporation on Thursday, August 28, the Guy Gadowsky Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Centre Dental Care by Dr. Carnicella on Thursday, August 28, Paint the Park Purple presented by Juniper Village with a Purple T-Shirt Giveaway on Sunday, August 24, Sylly Day with an 11:11 a.m. start on Monday, August 25, and a gamut of Daily Value Promotions.

It all leads to the 2025 MLB Draft League Championship Game on Thursday, September 4 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, featuring the Spikes taking on the MLB Draft League second half champions for the overall crown.

Tickets for the 2025 MLB Draft League Championship Game, featuring Dollar Dog Night while supplies last, free admission for all students thanks to the Spikes in partnership with Penn State SPA - The Student Programming Association, and Thirsty Thursday presented by The BUS while supplies last, are $10 apiece for every available ballpark seat, and can be purchased online at StateCollegeSpikes.com or through the Spikes Ticket Office.

Tickets to the last six games remaining on the Spikes' 2025 regular season home schedule and the 2025 MLB Draft League Championship Game are available by calling 814-271-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with hours during home game days of 9 a.m. to the end of the game Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to the end of the game on Saturday and Sunday.

Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets, and view the 2025 promotional schedule, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action of the Spikes' game against the Scrappers on Friday via the Spikes Radio Network presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics with Steve Jones and Joe Putnam on the call. The broadcast starts with Spikes Live! presented by Mount Nittany Health on the air from Medlar FIeld at Lubrano Park starting at approximately 6:10 p.m.

Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Check out the State College Spikes Statistics

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Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from August 21, 2025


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