NILES, Ohio – Justin Journette tied a State College Spikes and MLB Draft League record with two triples in the same game, Trent Turner reached base five times with two doubles, and the Spikes defeated the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, 6-4, in their return to action at 7/17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood on Saturday night.
After two days without games due to air quality concerns, the Spikes (5-3 2nd Half) got back into the swing of things as Journette smashed a triple off the base of the right-center field wall to put them ahead in the second inning, then followed with a three-base hit to the gap in left-center field to knock in another run in the fourth.
The Norfolk State product became the eighth player in MLB Draft League history and tenth in Spikes history to triple twice in the same game. Journette joined players like major leaguer Andy Young and former Stanford football star Tyler Gaffney on the list of Spikes with a pair of three-base hits.
Turner helped the Spikes offensively with three hits, a walk and a time hit by pitch. The Western Carolina product is now hitting .481 with five multi-hit games in the seven games the Spikes have played in the second half of the season.
Luke Nomura drove in the other three Spikes runs with singles in the second and fourth before a sacrifice fly to left field to give State College an insurance run in the eighth.
Haden Luke (1-0) allowed just one hits and struck out five batters over three innings of relief to earn the win for State College. Patrick Morris then struck out the side in the eighth before Pablo Torres (1) earned the save with a one-run ninth inning in his Spikes debut.
Jordan Taylor hit his first home run for Mahoning Valley (1-7 2nd Half), a two-run shot to the left field, in the second to tie the game.
Clayton Burke (0-1) started and took the loss for the Scrappers after being tagged for five runs on nine hits and a hit batsman while striking out three batters over four innings.
Sunday, the Spikes complete what is now a two-game series against the Scrappers with a 2:05 p.m. matchup at 7/17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood.
Following the series against the Scrappers, and road games in Williamsport against the Crosscutters on Monday and Tuesday, the Spikes will round out the July 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 Scrappers on Sunday 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 7/17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood starting at approximately 1:50 p.m.
Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com.
