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NYPL State College Spikes

Toerner's Dash Give Spikes 3-2, Walk-Off Win over Black Bears

August 8, 2018 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Justin Toerner capped a three-hit night by racing home from third to score on a passed ball in the bottom of the ninth to give the State College Spikes their fourth straight win with a 3-2 victory over the West Virginia Black Bears on Wednesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

The win was the fourth walk-off victory of the year for the Spikes (23-29).

Toerner, the Cardinals' 2018 28th-round draft choice out of Cal State-Northridge, started the Spikes' rally with a one-out infield single. After a groundout moved him to second, New York-Penn League All-Star Nick Dunn was intentionally walked, followed by an unintentional base on balls drawn by Kevin Woodall, Jr. before the game-winning passed ball.

State College responded to West Virginia (18-34) at each turn in the game. After the Black Bears got on the board in the fifth with Edison Lantigua's sacrifice fly, the Spikes responded as two errors led to NYPL All-Star Edwin Figuera's RBI single to tie it at 1-1.

The Black Bears then retook the lead in the sixth on Connor Kaiser's single to left field, but two innings later, Wadye Ynfante doubled to right-center field to knot up the contest once again.

Diego Cordero produced the longest start on the mound for any Spike this season with 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball. Cordero allowed seven hits and a walk while striking out three batters in his fifth straight quality start of six innings or more with three earned runs or less.

State College reliever Troy Montemayor (2-1) then went the rest of the way to earn the win, retiring all four batters he faced and notching one strikeout.

West Virginia reliever Will Gardner (0-1) took the loss after allowing the Spikes' last run to score unearned. Gardner gave up two hits and two walks while striking out batter over a total of 1 2/3 innings.

Figuera and Stanley Espinal also produced multi-hit games for State College.

Thursday, the Spikes host the Black Bears in the middle game of their three-game set at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. State College will send right-hander Chris Holba (2-2) to the hill to match up with West Virginia right-hander Michael Flynn (0-3), with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.

The Thursday slate includes the return of Paint the Park Purple Night and Ladies Night, presented by Home Instead Senior Care and Juniper Village at Brookline. Fans are invited to join the Spikes and the Alzheimer's Association in supporting the fight against Alzheimer's disease throughout the evening.

The first 1,000 fans of all ages will receive a Purple Reusable Tote Bag Giveaway on Thursday when gates open at 6:00 p.m., also presented by Home Instead Senior Care and Juniper Village at Brookline.

Ladies are invited to bring their gal pals for a night of fun at the ballpark as well, with a special Wine & Bunco Package available. For $45, ladies can purchase a ticket to a Spikes Luxury Suite with early entrance to the ballpark, VIP parking, coupons for two complimentary glasses of wine or draft beers, and a meal of either beef brisket and pork or Jersey's Mike's Subs. The package also includes the chance to play Bunco starting at 7:30 p.m. with fabulous prizes for big winners.

It's also a $1 Beer Thursday, presented by BIG Froggy 101, with 12-oz. domestic draft beers just $1 apiece from 6-8 p.m.

Fans can also enjoy another PA One Call Night leading up to Call 811 Night on Friday, highlighting the importance of calling 811 before you dig in Pennsylvania.

Friday's series finale will then feature a Ki-Jana Carter Bobblehead Giveaway for the first 1,000 fans presented by The Nittany Lion Inn & The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel and ESPN Radio 1450 with a special appearance by the man himself and FIREWORKS presented by The Meadows in a 7:05 p.m. game.

It all leads up to the 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game presented by the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau on Tuesday, August 14. The All-Star festivities begin with the NYPL All-Star Tailgate Gala presented by Reinhart Foodservice on Monday, August 13, and then ballpark gate open for the NYPL All-Star Game at 3 p.m. on the 14th, with the chance to get autographs from the All-Stars and watch batting practice.

An array of stars led by team captains Ki-Jana Carter and Josiah Viera, plus gridiron greats Blair Thomas and Wally Richardson as well as a cavalcade of legends and celebrities will hit the field for the Celebrity Softball Game at 5 p.m. on Tuesday night.

The All-Star Game will then get underway at 7:05 p.m., with the showcase event followed by a fantastic FIREWORKS show presented by the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Tickets for the home games on Thursday and Friday, as well as the 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game presented by the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau, the 2018 NYPL All-Star Tailgate Gala presented by Reinhart Foodservice, and every game on the 2018 Spikes home schedule, are currently on sale through the Spikes Ticket Office.

Tickets can be purchased by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting the Ticket Office in person from 9 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-gamedays Monday through Friday. Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action on Thursday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics, 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, NEWSRADIO 1390 WRSC, as well as the TuneIn Radio app.

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New York-Penn League Stories from August 8, 2018


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