UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – An over-capacity crowd of 5,813 fans, the largest of the State College Spikes’ 20thAnniversary Season, packed Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to see the Spikes top the Aberdeen IronBirds, 5-4, before a fantastic DRONE SHOW presented by College Township lit up the skies over Happy Valley on Friday night.
The crowd of 5,813 fans surpassed the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park seating capacity of 5,570 and marked the largest crowd to see a Spikes game since a ballpark-record 7,183 fans saw the club’s July 4, 2021 game against the Trenton Thunder.
The DRONE SHOW, provided by Star Flight, saw 100 drones arrange into shapes and animations paying homage to the Spikes’ 20 seasons of providing fun, affordable family entertainment along with our national pastime and America’s 250thanniversary.
Plus, fans were thrilled by Local Fan Costumers portraying characters and even more fun on Star Wars Night, with several Star Wars touches in the DRONE SHOW to cap off the night, along with the night’s 50/50 Drawing benefiting the Centre County United Way.
In game action, the Spikes (8-5 2nd Half) scored their second straight close win over the IronBirds (9-5 2nd Half), who currently occupy first place in the MLB Draft League’s second half standings.
Aberdeen starter Kai Leckszas retired the first nine State College batters he faced before hitting Nyan Hayes with a pitch to start the fourth, then allowed Trent Turner to double to center field and CJ Richmond to bring in two runs with a double of his own down the left-field line to the Pepsi Picnic Pavilion, giving State College a 2-1 lead.
Leckszas then set down the next nine Spikes batters afterward as Aberdeen tied the game with a Patrick McCullough sacrifice fly to center in the seventh.
However, State College surged back with three runs in the seventh to take a lead they would not relinquish. The Spikes were helped by two IronBirds errors, one an errant throw from third baseman McCullough as Jackson Rains was beating out an infield single, and another on an errant throw by first baseman Nathan Earley after Luke Nomura’s RBI single to right. Nomura advanced to third on that error and scored on Ryan Rivera’s single one batter later.
The Spikes then battled through some tense moments down the stretch behind left-handed closer Patrick Morris (3), who allowed two inherited runners to score on two walks and a hit batsman but no more to earn a five-out save.
Southpaw Zach Kilby (3-2) picked up the win with 1 2/3 innings of two-run relief for the Spikes. Former Spikes pitcher Dylan Cheeley (3-1) took his first loss of the year after being charged with all three Spikes runs in the seventh, two of them earned.
The Spikes look to continue their momentum on Saturday night in a 6:35 p.m. matchup to finish the three-game set with the IronBirds at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Left-hander Vincent Spizzoucco (0-0) gets the starting mound assignment for State College, while right-hander Jonah Johnson (0-1) will get the ball for Aberdeen.
Spikes fans can join along with Mount Nittany Health as we fight breast cancer at Paint the Park Pink on Saturday night. The Spikes will hit the field in special Pink Patriotic Jerseys, which are currently up for bids on the LiveSource app with the Pink Patriotic Jersey-off-the-Back Auction, which will run through 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Mount Nittany Health Foundation to support the work done by the Breast Care Center at Mount Nittany Health.
After the game, auction winners in attendance at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park will be able to come onto the field and receive their jerseys, signed by the Spike that wore it, from players and coaches.
The evening culminates with a fantastic FIREWORKS show after the game, presented by Mount Nittany Health, that will light up the skies over Happy Valley.
In addition, the first 500 fans of all ages can get their own keepsake at the ballpark gates with a Pink Patriotic T-Shirt Giveaway presented by Mount Nittany Health, featuring a design based on the jersey the Spikes will wear for the game, with a postgame session of Kids Run the Bases presented by Mount Nittany Health.
The game will also fall on a Super Saturday presented by the PA Lottery and Pop 93.3.
The hits continue with a special appearance by Bluey on Sunday, July 26, when the Mahoning Valley Scrappers come to town to start a three-game series with a 6:35 p.m. matchup. Gates open to the public at 5:30 p.m., and Bluey will be on hand to meet and greet fans and take photos from 6:00 p.m. all the way to 10:00 p.m.
Plus, it's Papa Johns Night on Monday, July 27, with a free Bullpen Box ticket to the game available with Papa Johns orders this week, along with Buck Bleacher Night, and the huge week finishes on Tuesday, July 28 with the only scheduled day game of the Spikes' 20th Anniversary Season home schedule on Super Splash Day with a 12:05 p.m. start time.
Tickets for all of these games, along with every remaining home game on the 20th Anniversary Season schedule, are available by calling 814-271-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with hours during home game days of 10 a.m. to the end of the game Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to the end of the game on Saturday and Sunday.
Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets, and view the 2026 promotional schedule, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com
Catch all the action of the Spikes’ game against the IronBirds on Saturday via the Spikes Radio Network presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics with Steve Jones and Joe Putnam on the call. The broadcast starts with Spikes Live! presented by Mount Nittany Health on the air from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park starting at approximately 6:05 p.m.
Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com.
