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NYPL State College Spikes

Spikes Opening Night Under a Month Away

May 24, 2016 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


(STATE COLLEGE, PA) - The State College Spikes are set to begin a jam-packed 2016 home schedule on Saturday, June 18 with Opening Night, presented by PSECU and Newsradio 1390 WRSC. The pomp and pageantry surrounding the start of the season will kick off a 38-game slate that features plenty of fun, affordable family entertainment and future major league stars for fans to enjoy throughout the summer.

The Spikes, Short-Season Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, will take on the Williamsport Crosscutters, affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, in a 7:05 p.m. matchup on Opening Night. The Spikes' slate of 16 giveaway nights begins with a Spikes Schedule Magnet Giveaway for the first 2,500 fans at the home opener. After the game, the skies over Happy Valley will light up for the first of 12 FIREWORKS shows to dazzle Spikes fans this season.

The 2016 home schedule will feature several more phenomenal evenings as well. Fans will enjoy the ever-popular Cowboy Monkey Rodeo as Tim "Wild Thang" Lepard and Team GhostRiders return for not one, but two performances this summer. The one-of-a-kind show featuring monkeys riding dogs herding sheep is presented by Stone Valley Construction, LLC on Saturday, July 16, and by The Meadows on Thursday, August 25.

This summer's appearances slate also includes a visit from Dennis Haskins, who played "Mr. Belding" on TV's Saved by the Bell, presented by Comcast Spotlight on Saturday, August 14. In addition, fans will be thrilled by "The Bullet" David Smith, Jr. on Sunday, July 3 as he brings his "Human Cannonball" act to Central PA for a post-game "blast-off" presented by Best Line Powersports, home of the new Indian Motorcycle of State College.

Fans can tickle their taste buds throughout the summer, too, with the addition of Half-Craft Wednesdays and $2 Walking Taco Tuesdays to the Daily Fan Value Promotions slate. Every Wednesday, fans 21 and up can enjoy half-price craft beers, including those at the Good Hops beer garden in right field and the new Good Hops at the Broken Bat BBQ on the third-base side, presented by 93.7 The BUS.

$2 Walking Taco Tuesdays will feature the Spikes' signature Walking Taco on sale for just $2 during every Tuesday home game, presented by B94.5.

The Spikes will also give fans a pair of bobbleheads this summer as part of the giveaway schedule. Honorary bench coach Josiah Viera will be honored with his own bobblehead giveaway on Saturday, July 9. The first 1,000 fans through the gates for the Spikes' 7:05 p.m. game that night against the Auburn Doubledays will receive their own bobblehead of Josiah, presented by Northwest.

New York Jets quarterback Christian Hackenberg, Penn State's all-time leader in career passing yardage, career touchdown passes and single-game passing yardage, will be honored with a bobblehead presented by The Nittany Lion Inn & The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel and ESPN Radio 1450 that will go to the first 1,000 fans of all ages on Saturday, August 13.

The giveaway schedule goes out with a bang as well when the Spikes and Lion Country Kia team up to provide a "LuCKy" winner with an automobile from LuCKy the Lion as part of Fan Appreciation Night featuring LuCKy's KIA Giveaway during the regular season home finale on Sunday, September 4. Plus, each Sunday home game during the season will give a "LuCKy" fan the chance to win free gas for a year by tossing a ball into the sunroof of a KIA car from 100 feet away.

Fans will also enjoy the tradition of FIREWORKS nights at each Sunday Spikes game as it continues with shows after each of the 6:05 p.m. games on June 19, July 3, July 10 July 31 and August 14. Fans will also be treated to a FIREWORKS spectacular after the regular season home finale on September 4. Additional FIREWORKS shows will dazzle fans after 7:05 p.m. games on July 16, July 23, August 12 and August 25.

The Spikes will bring continuity to the on-field product this season as manager Johnny Rodriguez returns for his second season at the helm. Pitching coach Darwin Marrero and hitting coach Roger LaFrancois will also be back for another year with the Spikes, with C.J. Beatty joining the staff as a coach this season.

Single-game tickets for Opening Night on Saturday, June 18, as well as all 38 regular season home dates through September 4, are currently on sale through the Spikes Box Office and online at State College Spikes.com. Fans can visit the Box Office in person or call (814) 272-1711. Fans purchasing online have the ability to print their tickets using a home computer and printer.

Groups can also purchase discounted tickets for any of the Spikes' 38 home dates, with groups of 10 or more eligible for a special Opening Night group ticket package. Additional benefits of booking a group for a Spikes home game include preferred seating and an exclusive early entrance great for picking up giveaways. For more information on the Opening Night group ticket package, starting at just $100, contact a Spikes group representative at (814) 272-1711. More information on discounted group tickets for all 38 Spikes home games is also available at StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Value Plans, McDonald's Flex Books and an array of other hospitality options are also currently available and can be reserved by calling (814) 272-1711. All Spikes ticket options can be viewed at StateCollegeSpikes.com.

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