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MLBDL State College Spikes

Wills' Power Drives Spikes To 7-5 Victory Over Thunder In 1st Half Finale

July 13, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Brock Wills showed off his power at the plate with a triple and a home run for the State College Spikes as they picked up the 7-5 victory over the Trenton Thunder on Saturday night in the final game of the first half of the Major League Baseball Draft League season.

Wills, the UNCW product from Holly Springs, North Carolina, recorded a 3-for-5 night at the plate with three runs scored and two RBI, including his third triple of the year and his first home run of the season in his final game, a 396-foot drive to left field that scored two in the fifth and gave the Spikes the lead at the time.

Patience at the plate was a key for the Spikes (19-16) tonight as A.J. Salgado, Carson Luna, and Max Bushyhead all worked RBI walks in the contest. Salgado and Pete Durocher also added to the runs column with RBI singles in the game as well.

Trenton (14-18) was able to capitalize on a Spikes pitching mistake in the fourth to find the scoreboard as Justin Fogelscored on a wild pitch from relief pitcher Charlie Hurley. They scored again in the frame on a Britton Beeson Sac Fly. The Thunder wouldn't be able to score again until attempting a rally in the ninth inning with an Ian Battipaglia RBI single and two RBI walks from Rintaro Sasaki and John Taylor.

Both starters tonight did not factor into the decision. The win for the Spikes went to Brandon Bergert (1-0) after 1.2 innings of no-hit relief and Hunter Alberini earned a hold (1).

For the Thunder, the loss was charged to Penn State product Chic DeGaetano (0-1) in his return to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park after allowing two Spikes runs on two hits in his only inning of relief.

State College boasted several league leaders at the end of the first half of the MLB Draft League schedule. Samuel Benjamin led all hitters in batting average (.422), home runs (six), slugging percentage (.638) and OPS (1.214), all while missing the last eight games of the slate. In addition, Blake Purnell led the loop in saves with five, and Fidel Ulloa's 0.00 ERA, .080 opponents' batting average and 0.47 WHIP were all MLB Draft League bests.

The Spikes and the rest of the MLB Draft League now break for the 2024 MLB Draft, starting on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

State College will resume the season on Thursday on the road visiting the Mahoning Valley Scrappers for a four-game series before returning home on July 23rd to start a three-game series with the Frederick Keys.

It will be Walking Taco Tuesday at the ballpark, presented by Bigfoot Country Legends. The Tuesday tradition returns - feast on half-price Walking Tacos all night long, and enjoy half-price 16-oz. Miller Lite and Coors Light drafts from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

For tickets to Thursday's second half home opener, as well as every remaining home game on the Spikes' 2024 schedule at the new-look Medlar Field at Lubrano Park through September 3, fans can call 814-272-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with hours during home game days of 9 a.m. to the end of the game Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to the end of the game on Saturday and Sunday.

Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets 24/7, and view the 2024 promotional schedule, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action of the Spikes' game on Thursday via the Spikes Radio Network presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics with Joe Putnam on the call. The broadcast starts with Spikes Live! presented by Mount Nittany Health on the air from Eastwood Field at approximately 7:00 p.m. First pitch is scheduled for 7:17 p.m.

The game can be viewed worldwide on the MLB Draft League streaming platform powered by Pixellot at MLB.watch.pixellot.tv and the Watch section of the MLB app by scrolling the Watch Now tab, along with the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com and the TuneIn Radio app.

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Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from July 13, 2024


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