NYPL State College Spikes

Near No-Hitter Not Enough as Spikes Take 3-0 Loss to Tigers

Published on July 25, 2018 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


NORWICH, Conn. - Michael Baird held the Connecticut Tigers hitless for five innings, and the State College Spikes combined for 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball as a staff, but the Tigers surged late to top the Spikes, 3-0, on Wednesday afternoon at Dodd Stadium.

Baird, the St. Louis Cardinals' 23rd-round draft choice out of Southern Illinois, allowed just a walk to Clark Brinkman in the third. The right-hander bounced back from yielding the free pass to pick Brinkman off first and faced the minimum 15 batters over his five innings. Baird also recorded six strikeouts.

Hector Villalobos (1-1) kept the no-hitter going for State College (14-23) in the sixth, but yielded Connecticut's (19-17) first run. After a dropped foul popup error extended his time at bat, Dayton Dugas walked, stole second base, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on Alexis Garcia's sacrifice fly to left.

Villalobos took the loss despite the run he was charged with being unearned.

Edgar Gonzalez then retired the first two batters of the Tigers seventh before Jordan Verdon broke up the no-hitter with a broken bat liner to center field.

Garcia then drove in two more runs with an eighth-inning double for Connecticut to finalize the scoring.

State College's offense was held to a Delvin Perez infield single and a bunt single from Edwin Figuera, both in the first inning, as well as two walks in the game.

Tigers starter Chance Kirby (2-1) earned the win with six scoreless innings, giving up both Spikes hits and a walk while striking out six.

Ethan DeCaster (1) then retired the last six State College batters of the game in order for the save.

The Spikes are now 0-3 in day games this season.

Thursday, the Spikes finish the first half of their six-game road trip through New England with the finale of a three-game set against the Tigers at Dodd Stadium. Left-hander Jacob Schlesener (0-3) is set to start the 7:05 p.m. game for State College, while Connecticut is slated to send right-hander Carlos Guzman (1-1) to the mound.

Following the series in Connecticut, the Spikes will meet the Lowell Spinners (Boston Red Sox) for three games before a six-game homestand at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park begins on Monday, July 30.

Highlights of the homestand include the second Super Splash Day of the year on Wednesday, August 1, doubleheader action against the Auburn Doubledays with $1 Beer Thursday on August 2, Bark in the Park III, presented by NEWSRADIO 1390 WRSC, on Friday, August 3, and Animal House Night with a State "College" Sweater Jersey-off-the-Back Auction presented by PSECU to benefit Children's Miracle Network on Saturday, August 4.

Tickets for all six games from July 30 to August 4, as well as the 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game presented by the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau, the 2018 NYPL All-Star Tailgate Gala presented by Reinhart Foodservice, and every game on the 2018 Spikes 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 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action on Thursday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics, at 6:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Dodd Stadium. 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.

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New York-Penn League Stories from July 25, 2018


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