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NYPL State College Spikes

Spikes Announce 2011 Award Winners

September 1, 2011 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


(STATE COLLEGE, PA) - The State College Spikes announced their 2011 year-end award winners on Thursday in a ceremony prior to the home finale against the Batavia Muckdogs. Outfielder Wes Freeman was named the Spikes Most Valuable Player, while right-hander Nick Kingham was selected the Spikes Pitcher of the Year and catcher Matt Skirving was honored with the Spikes Leadership Award, presented by the Spikes Booster Club.

Freeman, who earned a promotion to Single-A West Virginia on August 28, still leads the Spikes with six home runs and 25 runs batted in. The 2008 16 th-round draft choice of the Pirates, Freeman is also still in the top ten in the New York-Penn League with a .304 batting average. The Bradenton, FL native improved his average 135 points from a .169 mark on July 17, garnering a berth in the 2011 NYPL All-Star Game on August 17 in the process. Freeman went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored to help his National League squad to a 7-3 win over the American League team in that game.

Past winners of the Spikes MVP Award include Adalberto Santos (2010), Brock Holt (2009), current Pittsburgh Pirate Chase d'Arnaud (2008) and Justin Byler (2007).

Kingham, the Pirates' fourth-round draft choice in 2010, holds the third-best earned run average in the NYPL at 2.32 going into his final start of the season on Thursday. The Las Vegas, NV native is working on a streak of nine straight starts in which he has gone at least five innings on the mound and allowed one or no runs. Kingham's 14 starts are tied for the most in the NYPL, and he leads the Spikes with 44 strikeouts in 66 innings on the hill this season.

The honor roll of past Spikes Pitchers of the Year includes Kevin Decker (2010), Kyle McPherson (2009), Alan Knotts (2008) and Tony Watson (2007).

Skirving returned to the Spikes from the 2010 squad and provided a steady presence for a young pitching staff. The 30th-round pick of the Pirates in last year's draft, Skirving is hitting .265 with three home runs and 21 RBI this season, including the eighth grand slam in Spikes history on August 30 in Batavia. The Midland, MI resident has also smashed 13 doubles, putting him just two behind Alex Dickerson for the team lead.

The Spikes Leadership Award, now in its third season, has also been presented to Cole White and Chase Lyles in 2010, as well as David Rubinstein in 2009.

To find out more about single-game tickets, mini-plans, flex books and a variety of different group packages and experiences for the 2011 season, call a Spikes ticket representative at (814) 272-1711. Additional team and ticket information can also be viewed by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Fans also have the opportunity to lock in all of the benefits of being a Spikes' Season Ticket holder by purchasing their 2012 Season Ticketpackages now. Spikes Season Ticket packages come with membership into the exclusive Extra Innings Club, as well as provide a wide variety of additional benefits through a personal front office ticket representative. To purchase 2012 Season Tickets, contact a Spikes ticket representative at (814) 272-1711.

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New York-Penn League Stories from September 1, 2011


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