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NYPL State College Spikes

Hafner Gets First Win as Spikes Down Lake Monsters, 5-3

August 3, 2011 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


BURLINGTON, VT - Ryan Hafner earned his first professional victory with five strong innings on the mound and Taylor Lewis collected three hits, including a triple, as the State College Spikes held on for a 5-3 win over the Vermont Lake Monsters on Wednesday night at Centennial Field.

Hafner (1-3), the Pirates' 17th-round draft choice in 2010, allowed two runs, one of them earned, in the first inning, but no more after that. The Lee's Summit, MO native yielded a total of five hits and two walks while striking out two in the win.

Lewis, the Pirates' 10th-round pick in this year's draft, started off a four-run Spikes (16-30) fourth with his sixth triple of the season to right-center field. The University of Maine product is now tied with Auburn's Hendry Jimenez for the New York-Penn League lead in three-baggers.

Walker Gourley knocked in Lewis with a RBI single after the triple to score the Spikes' first run. Wes Freeman then produced the first of his two doubles to bring in Gourley and tie the game, 2-2. After Alex Fuselierreached base on an error while laying down a sacrifice bunt, Alex Dickerson hit a sacrifice fly to left that brought in Freeman and made it 3-2. Matt Skirving then completed the fourth-inning burst with a run-scoring single of his own.

State College added a run in the seventh when Lewis came home on a double play ball, but Vermont (24-21) responded with another run in the bottom of the same inning on Chih-Fang Pan's RBI double. Vince Payne, Josh Poytress, and Emmanuel De Leon (3) would close the door after that, though, and preserve the win for Hafner. De Leon earned his third save in as many opportunities with a one-hit ninth inning.

Gourley also had multiple hits for the Spikes, who have won four of their last five games and took a victory at Centennial Field for just the second time in franchise history.

Lake Monsters starter J.C. Menna (2-4) took the loss after allowing four runs, three of them earned, on five hits while striking out two over five innings of work. Menna, who came into the game walking the second-most batters in the New York-Penn League, did not issue a free pass on the night.

Thursday, the Spikes and Lake Monsters finish off their three-game series with a special 11:05 a.m. game at Centennial Field. It will be the second time this season that State College has started a game in the morning, after playing an 11 a.m. game at Staten Island earlier this year. The Spikes will have left-hander Mike Jefferson (1-1) on the mound to start, while the Lake Monsters will go with right-hander Tyler Vail (1-2).

The Spikes return home on Friday, August 5 to start a two-game series against the Jamestown Jammers (Florida Marlins) with a 7:05 p.m. matchup. Fans can break out the towels and sunscreen for summer fun as the Spikes hold a Beach Party at the Ballpark reminiscent of the lovely beaches of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on 4 for $44 Friday, presented by MAJIC 99.

VisitMyrtleBeach.com will present one lucky fan with a vacation package to Myrtle Beach during the game, and all fans 18 and over can enter for a chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime trip, with the winner announced during the game. Fans will also have a blast when VisitMyrtleBeach.com and the Centre County Gazette present a spectacular post-game FIREWORKS show. It's also Philipsburg Community Night, and after the game, kids can run the bases thanks to Clinical Outcomes Group, Inc. on a FRITOS Family Friday.

Groups can also take advantage of the Spikes' new "20 for $200 Special," while Half-Season Tickets are now also available for as low as $114 per seat. For more information on these special offers, contact a Spikes ticket specialist at (814) 272-1711.

Tickets for Friday's game, as well as every Spikes regular season home game, 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 Thursday via the Spikes Radio Network at 10:50 p.m. with the Spikes GameDay Show live from Centennial 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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New York-Penn League Stories from August 3, 2011


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