Spikes Fall to Crosscutters in 2024 Home Finale on Tuesday

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State College Spikes

Spikes Fall to Crosscutters in 2024 Home Finale on Tuesday

September 4, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Cam Bufford knocked in a pair of runs and the State College Spikes maintained the best overall record in the MLB Draft League despite taking a 14-4 loss to the Williamsport Crosscutters in the 2024 home finale at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Tuesday night.

Bufford gave the Spikes (21-21 2nd Half) their first two runs of the night with back-to-back singles in the first and third innings. The Grambling State product, who set that school's all-time career home run record this spring, is now tied for fourth in the MLB Draft League's second half with 31 runs batted in and is tied for third for stolen bases in the same span with 17.

The Spikes' 40-37 mark when both halves of the 2024 MLB Draft League season are combined is 2 Â1/2 games clear of Trenton (23-17 2nd Half), the current second-half league leader. The Thunder are 37-35 when both halves of the season are combined.

State College starter Jeremy Neff gave the Spikes another strong effort on the mound, limiting Williamsport (13-27 2nd Half) to two runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batsman over five innings. Neff also recorded five strikeouts to up his season total to 42, the leading total for the Spikes in the 2024 season.

The Crosscutters pushed through, however, plating three runs in the sixth and eight in the eighth to break the game open. Cory Taylor hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center field, to complete the scoring in the ninth. Mark Shallenberger reached base three times, twice via hit by pitch, to run his string of consecutive plate appearances reaching base to nine in the series.

Spikes reliever Phillip Bryant (1-5) took the loss after absorbing three runs without recording an out in the sixth. Williamsport reliever Chase Gockel (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of work as the Crosscutters employed six pitchers over the first six innings.

Outfielder Jacob Corson (1) then soaked up the last three innings on the mound to preserve the Williamsport bullpen for Thursday's MLB Draft League Championship Game and earned a save in the process.

Wednesday, the Spikes complete their 2024 regular season with a 6:35 p.m. matchup against the Crosscutters at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport. Missouri right-hander Jacob Peaden (4-2), a former Crosscutter, gets the ball for State College in the season finale. Right-hander Mike Hansell (0-4) is slated to go to the hill for Williamsport.

Catch all the action of the Spikes' game on Wednesday 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 Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field at approximately 6:20 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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