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NYPL State College Spikes

Spikes Retake Wild Card Lead with 7-2 Win over Muckdogs

September 4, 2015 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


STATE COLLEGE, PA - Jacob Evans delivered six strong innings on the mound as the State College Spikes returned to first place in the New York-Penn League Wild Card standings with a 7-2 victory over the Batavia Muckdogs on Friday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

The Spikes' win, combined with a loss by West Virginia, gives both teams matching 38-34 records heading into the final three games of the regular season. However, State College holds the tiebreaker over the Black Bears, having won seven of 11 meetings between the two teams this year.

Evans (4-3) rebounded from allowing 10 runs in two-thirds of an inning on Sunday in Mahoning Valley to strike out a career-high nine batters over six innings of work. The southpaw ended up one whiff shy of the Spikes' single-game record. Evans allowed two runs on four hits for his third quality start of six innings or more with three earned runs or leass on the year.

State College took the lead in the second inning when Jose Godoy rapped a two-out, two-run single to right field, and increased it to 3-0 in the fourth on Michael Massi's sacrifice fly to center field.

Batavia (30-42) took advantage of Spikes misplays to score a pair of runs in the fifth, but Casey Grayson's single and an error swelled the lead back to three runs for the Spikes in the bottom of that inning.

Grayson knocked in another run with a ground-rule double in the seventh, and Godoy produced his third RBI with a single in the eighth.

Gerwuins Velazco relieved Evans in the seventh and struck out the first four batters he faced in his first Spikes appearance. Velazco tossed two scoreless innings, with Kender Villegas blanking the Muckdogs in the ninth to finish the game.

Six State College players produced multiple hits, with R.J. Dennard adding a double.

Nestor Bautista (4-3) started for the Muckdogs and took the loss after yielding five runs, four earned, on ten hits while striking out four over 4 1/3 innings.

Giovanny Alfonzo was the only Batavia player with multiple hits, going 3-for-3 with a double.

The Spikes now seek to clinch their third straight NYPL playoff berth during the final series of the regular season as the Williamsport Crosscutters (Philadelphia Phillies) provide the opposition. The series begins on Saturday night with a 7:05 p.m. matchup at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. State College will send right-hander Jorge Rodriguez (5-4) to the mound to face Williamsport right-hander Luke Leftwich (2-2).

Saturday will be a night for winners at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, with a multitude of fantastic giveaways. Fans have been entering to win Free Gas for a Year from Lion Country Kia, and the winner will be drawn on Saturday night to receive a $1,000 Sheetz gas card. Plus, every fan is a winner on Scratch n' Win Saturday, presented by P.J. Harrigan's, and another lucky fan will walk away with a Sony PlayStation 4 in the second HD Weekend giveaway.

Kids 12 and under can also run the bases after the game thanks to Clinical Outcomes Group, Inc. on Fantasy Football Night at the ballpark.

In addition, college students across Central PA can enjoy even more value during every remaining Spikes home game with the College 3-2-1 Special. The College 3-2-1 Special offers any college student presenting a valid student ID at ticket and concessions windows $3 Outfield Bleacher seats or $3 off seat in any other ballpark section, excluding Pepsi Picnic Pavilion and suites, plus $2 medium sodas and $1 hot dogs all game long.

Tickets for Saturday and Sunday night are currently on sale through the Spikes Box Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person. Fans can also buy and print single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Fans can also purchase Two-Game Playoff Packs in anticipation of potential Spikes home games during the New York-Penn League playoffs, which begin on Wednesday, September 9. Playoff Packs start as low as $8, and each Playoff Pack will come with a free, limited-edition 2015 Spikes playoff T-shirt while supplies last. For more information, and to order a Playoff Pack, call the Spikes Box Office at (814) 272-1711.

Catch all of the action on Saturday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Hershey Medical Group, at 6:35 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by the club's flagship radio home, 95.3 FM 3WZ, and on the 3WZ mobile apps, available on Google Play and the App Store.

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New York-Penn League Stories from September 4, 2015


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