Four More Hits for Hext as Spikes Rally to Beat Scrappers, 8-5

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MLBDL State College Spikes

Four More Hits for Hext as Spikes Rally to Beat Scrappers, 8-5

August 14, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


NILES, Ohio - Cooper Hext put together his second four-hit game in three nights as the State College Spikes came back from a 4-0 deficit in the first inning to defeat the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, 8-5, on Wednesday night at Eastwood Field to clinch another series victory on the road.

Hext, who went 4-for-5 on Monday in the Spikes' (14-11 2nd Half) comeback win to start the series, repeated the feat on Wednesday and added two doubles for good measure. The McNeese State product extended his MLB Draft League-leading second half total of extra-base hits to 15, including nine doubles.

Mahoning Valley (14-10 2nd Half) used five hits to score four runs in the opening frame before State College started its surge. Kyle Russell began the rally with a sacrifice fly to left in the fourth inning, followed by Caleb Hill's RBI triple and Will Jewell's run-scoring, ground-rule double in the sxith.

The Spikes went ahead for good in the seventh. After Hext's first double led off the inning, Parker Coddou's single and a subsequent error brought him in to tie the game. Four batters later, Hill singled to right-center field off Scrappers reliever Jerry Burkett to give State College its first lead of the game, with another Mahoning Valley error on Austin Baal's grounder up the middle stretching the lead to 6-4.

Cam Bufford's two-run double in the eighth increased the margin to 8-4, State College, and Isaac Williams's RBI single in the eighth was to no avail for the Scrappers.

Peter Ostensen (1-1) logged 2 1/3 innings in middle relief for the win. Ostensen was charged with one run but gave up just two hits, a walk and a hit batsman while striking out one batter in the victory.

Nick Palumbo then struck out two batters in the eighth for the Spikes before David Lee (3) retired the Scrappers in order on 10 pitches and struck out one batter in the ninth for the save.

Mahoning Valley reliever Cole Chimenti (1-2) took the loss after putting the eventual go-ahead run on base in the seventh.

After going 5-1 on the road trip, the Spikes come back home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, where they are 19-8 across both halves of the 2024 MLB Draft League season, for the next seven games, starting with the opener of a four-game series against the West Virginia Black Bears on Thursday. The 6:35 p.m. matchup will feature right-hander Nick Hohenstein (2-0) on the mound for State College.

The fun begins with American Heart Association Lifesaver Night sponsored by PSECU. Fans can find out how they can help the American Heart Assocation save lives and fight heart disease at the 2024 Heart Walk, which begins at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Saturday, October 12.

Plus, like every Thursday in August at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, it's $1 Beer Night at Thirsty Thursday presented by The BUS, with $1 12-oz. select beers and $2 12-oz. craft beers available from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Fans can look forward to even more in store on the weekend with a 4-Pack Friday presented by 93.7 3WZ followed by FIREWORKS presented by Penn State Health on a Super Saturday presented by PA Lottery and Pop 93.3 and Paint the Park Purple presented by Juniper Village along with the Baseball Bingo Grand Finale on a Sunday Funday presented by Big Froggy 101.

To purchase tickets to all 12 remaining home games on the Spikes' 2024 schedule at the new-look Medlar Field at Lubrano Park through September 3, fans can call 814-272-1711 or visit 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 24/7, and view the 2024 promotional schedule, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action of the Spikes' game on Thursday 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 at approximately 6:50 p.m.

The game can be viewed worldwide on the MLB Draft League streaming platform powered by Pixellot at MLB.watch.pixellot.tv and the Watch section of the MLB app by scrolling the Watch Now tab, along with the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com and the TuneIn Radio app.

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