NILES, Ohio – Three-hit games from both Nyan Hayes and Trent Turner were not enough for the State College Spikes as the Mahoning Valley Scrappers earned a series split by taking a 7-4 decision on Sunday afternoon at 7/17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood.
Hayes collected a trio of hits for the second time this season, following his three-hit game this past Wednesday against the Williamsport Crosscutters. Sunday’s performance also marked Hayes’s sixth multi-hit game of the year for the Spikes (5-4 2nd Half).
Turner continued his scorching start to the second half of the season with a double and two singles. The Western Carolina product also knocked in a run as he ran his second-half batting average to .500 (16-for-32) with five doubles and a .579 on-base percentage since the season break. Turner also recorded his third straight mutli-hit game.
The Spikes bounced back from Bryce Hubbard’s RBI single for Mahoning Valley (2-7 2nd half) in the first to tie the game on Hayes’s single and Turner’s double in the second, then took the lead in the third on Justin Journette’s sacrifice fly to right field and a wild pitch to score Jackson Rains.
However, Jordan Taylor tied the game back up at 3-3 in the fourth with a two-run shot to left field, his second homer of the season and second in as many games. Back-to-back RBI singles for Maddox Mihalakis and Zion Williams later in the same frame gave the Scrappers a lead they would not relinquish.
CJ Richmond went 2-for-4 and stole a total of three bases on the night, making him 17-for-19 in steal attempts across both halves of the MLB Draft League season.
Spikes reliever JD Rodriguez (0-2) took the loss after giving up two runs on two hits and two walks over 1/3 of an inning.
Mahoning Valley reliever Dominic Desch (1-0) picked up the win after going 2/3 of an inning without damage in the third. Jay Newman (2) earned his second save, and first of the second half, with a one-hit ninth.
The Spikes continue their road trip a little closer to home with a pair of commuter trips to visit the Williamsport Crosscutters on Monday and Tuesday. Both games at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field will begin at 6:35 p.m. with Monday’s series opener slated to see State College right-hander Trey Cehajic (1-0) face Williamsport right-hander Josh Willits (0-0).
Following the series against the Crosscutters, and an off day on Wednesday, the Spikes will round out the July home schedule with one of the biggest weeks ever, featuring Paint the Park Purple presented by Juniper Village with a Purple Hat Giveaway presented by Juniper Village, Home Instead and Advantage Home Health for the first 500 fans on Thursday, July 23, the first-ever DRONE SHOW at the ballpark along with Star Wars Night on Friday, July 24, Paint the Park Pink presented by Mount Nittany Health with a Pink Patriotic Jersey-off-the-Back Auction to benefit the Mount Nittany Health Foundation, a Pink Patriotic T-Shirt Giveaway for the first 500 fans, and FIREWORKS after the game on Saturday, July 25, and a special appearance by Bluey on Sunday, July 26.
Plus, it's Papa Johns Night on Monday, July 27 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 Crosscutters on Monday 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 Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field starting at approximately 6:20 p.m.
Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com.
