UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Landen Johnson added to his surge at the plate with three hits and an RBI to help power the State College Spikes to their fourth win in the last five games, a 5-3 decision over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Thursday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Johnson, who smashed 16 homers and knocked in 86 runs this past college season at High Point, is hitting .615 (8-for-13) over the last four games and reaching base at a .688 clip with three walks. The first baseman drove in a run with his single in the sixth.
Carmelo Musacchia gave the Spikes (5-4) the lead in his debut with the club, looping a double to left to bring in two runs in the third, then stealing third base and scoring on an error to make it 3-0, State College.
Ryan Rivera collected the other RBI for the Spikes with a sixth-inning fielder’s choice.
Seven Spikes pitchers combined to hold the Scrappers (5-5) to three hits. Roman Kimball fired three perfect frames to start the game, while Carter Holjes (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 fifth for the win. Rodney Shultz (1) notched the save for State College.
Mahoning Valley reliever Cory Ronan (1-1) took the loss for the Scrappers.
The game was delayed 48 minutes at the outset by rain, with showers in the middle of the third inning curtailing the action for another 55 minutes.
Fresh off a two-game sweep of the Scrappers, the Spikes will now welcome the Trenton Thunder to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Friday to start a three-game series that serves as the back half of a six-day homestand. The 6:35 p.m. matchup is slated to see left-hander Wyatt Evans (0-0) starting on the hill for the Spikes.
Friday’s game will also feature the 250th Anniversary Celebration of our Army, Navy and Marine Corps!
The celebration will include a half-price ticket discount for veterans of all branches of the military and their families with ID. Veterans and families can purchase their tickets ahead of time with promo code 250 at https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/Buy.asp?EventID=347935&promocode=250 .
Veterans and families can also call 814-272-1711 or visit in person at the Spikes Ticket Office to purchase with no added fees.
It’s also a 4-Pack Friday presented by 93.7 3WZ, with four Diamond Club or Field Box seats, four hot dogs and four regular sodas available for $54.
In addition, Happy Valley AgVentures will have a presence at the ballpark with Baby Goats from Nittany Meadow Farms and “Mini Whinnie” Miniature Ponies from Quarter Acre Wood on hand.
The homestand continues Saturday with FIREWORKS after the 6:35 p.m. game provided by Starfire Corporation in tandem with Autism Acceptance Night presented by the Central PA Autism Community, then concludes on a Sunday Funday presented by Big Froggy 101 with a 6:35 p.m. game.
Tickets for all four games left in the homestand, plus every remaining home game on the Spikes’ 2025 schedule, are available by calling 814-272-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, 9 a.m. until the end of the game on Friday, and 10 a.m. until the end of the game on Saturday and Sunday.
Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets, and view the 2025 promotional schedule, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
Catch all of the action of the Spikes’ game against the Thunder on Friday 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 6:10 p.m.
Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com and the TuneIn Radio app.
