MLBDL State College Spikes

Spikes Pound Out 16 Hits, Three Homers In 14-3 Rout Of Thunder

July 19, 2023 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


TRENTON, N.J. - Logan Mathieu, Braedon Blackford and Josh Leslie all went deep for the State College Spikes, who totaled 10 extra-base hits and 16 hits in total to thump the Trenton Thunder, 14-3, on Tuesday night at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.

Mathieu, a native of Bellefonte, hit his first home run for the Spikes (5-4 2ndHalf) when he sent an 0-1 pitch from Trenton (4-4 2ndHalf) starter Lane Miller (0-1 2ndHalf) down the right-field line just inside the foul pole for a two-run shot in the third inning.

Blackford continued the Spikes' home run parade with a two-run homer to center field of his own off Miller in the fourth inning. The Purdue Fort Wayne product became the second Spike after Luis Aviles to hit multiple homers in the Major League Baseball Draft League's second half.

In the fifth, shortstop Josh Leslie's fly ball to left field carried over the wall for a solo homer, his first of the season.

The Spikes scored two runs in each of the first four innings, with Carlos Contreras starting the barrage with a two-out, two-run triple in the first. In the second, Jesse Fonteboa led off the frame with a triple and scored on an error, while Marques Paige delivered a sacrifice fly.

In the seventh, Fonteboa plated Contreras with a sacrifice fly after the latter's one-out double. State College poured it on late with a four-run ninth that featured a two-run double from Paige, an RBI double for Blackford, and a run-scoring error.

Spikes pitching helped the stout offensive effort hold up and then some. Louis Davenport III started and went 3 2/3 innings before left-hander Jacob Bruning (1-0 2ndHalf) turned in 2 1/3 scoreless, one-hit innings in his debut with the club to pick up the win. Bruning struck out two batters.

Sebastian Rodriguez (1) logged three shutout frames to finish the game and earn the save in his debut with the Spikes. The Point Park (Pa.) product yielded two hits while striking out two batters.

All of Trenton's runs came via the long ball. Dan Covino hit a two-run homer to right in the second, while Kolby Johnson led off the third with a solo shot to left-center field, with each homer serving as the first of the year for Covino and Johnson.

Miller took the loss after being charged with eight runs, seven on them earned, on eight hits, one walk and a hit batsman. The right-hander struck out two batters in the effort.

Wednesday, the Spikes and Thunder get off to an early start for the middle game of their three-game series at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. First pitch is set to fly at 11 a.m., with right-hander Jonah Jenkins (0-1 2ndHalf) getting the ball for State College to face Trenton right-hander Nick Payero (0-1 2ndHalf).

Check out the State College Spikes Statistics



Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from July 19, 2023


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