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MLBDL State College Spikes

Patience and Pressure Give Spikes Sweep with 5-4 Win over Black Bears

August 11, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


GRANVILLE, W. Va. - Despite being held to just three hits, the Spikes drew ten walks and racked up seven stolen bases, including a franchise record-tying four for Parker Coddou, en route to a 5-4 victory over the West Virginia Black Bears on Sunday to clinch a three-game series sweep at Kendrick Family Ballpark.

Coddou's four stolen bases tied him with Brock Wills, who swiped four bases in the final week of the first half of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft League season on July 11, and Darren Seferina, who went 4-for-4 on the basepaths in Jamestown on August 23, 2014, for the Spikes (12-10 2nd Half) single-game mark.

The Nicholls State product etched his name in the Spikes history books once again just 13 days after tying the franchise record for hits in a game with five at Frederick.

State College also benefited from another dynamic duo on the mound. Chris Shull started and went a season-long 4 1/3 innings in which he allowed two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two batters.Phillip Bryant (1-3) then took over and finished the game with 4 2/3 innings, also his longest outing of the season, to earn the win. Bryant yielded two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two batters in the effort.

The ten walks the Spikes drew meant that although only Austin Roccaforte, Josh Spiegel and Austin Baal collected hits, with Baal delivering the lone extra-base hit via a double, every member of the State College starting lineup reached base at least once in the game.

West Virginia (10-11 2nd Half) trailed 5-2 after five innings but drew closer on T.J. Williams's RBI groundout in the sixth and Trace Willhoite's pinch-hit homer, his second of the year, to left-center field in the eighth.

However, Bryant shut the door on the Black Bears after a one-out walk to Jeff Liquori by forcing Alex Vergara to fly out to Roccaforte in right field and Connor McGuire to pop out to Coddou at second base to end the game.

West Virginia starter Aric McAtee (0-2) took the loss after allowing all five Spikes runs, though only three earned runs, over five innings of work. McAtee walked five batters and struck out one.

The Spikes, now occupying third place in the MLB Draft League second half standings, will look to carry the momentum of the sweep into a three-game series with the second-place Mahoning Valley Scrappers to finish their road trip. The opener of the set will take place on Monday at 7:05 p.m. at Eastwood Field with Virginia Tech left-hander Jeremy Neff (2-0) taking the hill for State College.

Following the series at Mahoning Valley, the Spikes will return home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for a seven-game homestand starting on Thursday, August 15.

Highlights of the upcoming homestand include FIREWORKS presented by Penn State Health on Saturday, August 17, American Health Association Lifesaver Night sponsored by PSECU on Thursday, August 15, Paint the Park Purple presented by Juniper Village on Sunday, August 18, and an Eric Milton Appearance and No-Hitter 25th Anniversary Commemorative Poster Giveaway on Wednesday, August 21.

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 Monday via the Spikes Radio Network presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics with Joe Putnam on the call. The broadcast starts with Spikes Live! presented by Mount Nittany Health on the air from Eastwood Field 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.

Check out the State College Spikes Statistics

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Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from August 11, 2024


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