NYPL State College Spikes

Spikes Start Strong, But Scrappers Take 3-2 Decision

July 28, 2014 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


NILES, OH - State College Spikes starter Trey Nielsen yielded just one hit and one walk over four shutout innings, but the Spikes fell victim to a late rally by the Mahoning Valley Scrappers and took a 3-2 loss on Monday night at Eastwood Field.

Despite the loss, the Spikes (30-14) maintained a lead of 8 1/2 games in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division over both Williamsport and Batavia.

Nielsen, the Cardinals' 30th-round draft choice out of Utah in 2013, faced the minimum 12 batters over his four innings on the mound, erasing a first-inning walk with a 1-4-6-3 double play and wiping out a third-inning Austin Fisher single with a pickoff at first.

State College led, 2-0, after five innings, but Mahoning Valley (19-25) started its comeback when Ordomar Valdez tripled in the sixth inning and scored on Fisher's groundout. In the eighth inning, the Scrappers took the lead for good on a balk and a bases-loaded single by Steven Patterson.

Eight different Spikes collected hits in the game, including four doubles. Collin Radack and Luis Cruz each delivered two-base hits to plate the game's first run in the second inning. State College added to the lead in the third when Alex De Leon singled and an error on the play brought in Nick Thompson.

Spikes reliever Kyle Grana (3-1) took his first loss and his first blown save after yielding the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Grana gave up two hits and two walks, one of them intentional, while recording his 39th strikeout of the year.

Luis DeJesus (3-3) got the win in relief for the Scrappers after throwing three scoreless innings. DeJesus allowed one hit while striking out one. Luke Eubank (1) got his first save in three opportunities by striking out the side during a one-hit ninth inning.

Patterson and Fisher each collected multi-hit games for Mahoning Valley.

Tuesday, the Spikes and Scrappers finish their three-game set with a 7:05 p.m. matchup at Eastwood Field. Left-hander Ian McKinney (0-1), who returned to the Spikes on Monday after going 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA over eight starts with Rookie-level Johnson City, gets the ball for State College. Mahoning Valley with go with right-hander Juan Santana (0-5).

After the road trip, the Spikes will return to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for a big six-game homestand starting on Wednesday, July 30. The Aberdeen IronBirds (Baltimore Orioles) and Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa Bay Rays) provide the opposition over the stretch.

Highlights include the return of $1 Beer Thursday, presented by 93.7 THE BUS, the second Bark in the Park Night of the year, presented by Metzger Animal Hospital and NEWSRADIO 103, on Saturday night, a pair of fantastic FIREWORKS shows, and Paint the Park Pink Night presented by Mount Nittany Health on Sunday. The homestand will run until Monday, August 4.

Tickets for all six games from July 30 through August 4, as well as every Spikes home game on the 2014 slate, 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.

Catch all of the action on Tuesday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, at 6:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Eastwood Field. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by 95.3 FM 3WZ, and on the 3WZ mobile apps, available on Google Play and the App Store.

Spikes fans can also catch live coverage of Sunday's game against Hudson Valley on WHVL-TV beginning at 6 p.m. Check out WHVL.com and find what channel WHVL is located at on your local cable system in Central PA.

Check out the State College Spikes Statistics



New York-Penn League Stories from July 28, 2014


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