UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Beau Nichols delivered five innings of one-run ball on the mound in the midst of the game for the State College Spikes, but the Williamsport Crosscutters generated flurries early and late to take a 9-1 decision on Saturday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
With the win, Williamsport (20-11 2nd half) increased its lead over the Spikes (19-14 2nd half) in the race for the second-half berth in the MLB Draft League Championship Game to two games with seven remaining in the regular season.
Nichols took over in the second inning for the Spikes and held the Crosscutters to one run on three hits and a walk while striking out seven batters. The right-hander from Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee has posted a 1.30 earned run average over six appearances, including four starts, this season.
Williamsport took the lead with four runs in the first inning. E.J. Taylor drove in the first two with a triple to the Nook in left-center field, and an error and a Mitch Hundley singled plated the others.
Hundley then added to the Williamsport lead with his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field off Nichols in the sixth.
After Luis Aviles drove in Trent Taylor with a single up the middle to put the Spikes on the board in the eighth, the Crosscutters added four more runs in the ninth to put the game away.
State College starter Jayson Summers (2-2) took the loss after allowing the first four Williamsport runs, two of them unearned, in his lone inning of work. Summers yielded two hits and walked three batters in the frame while striking out one.
Crosscutters starter Nick Meyer (6-2) produced an outstanding start as he struck out nine batters over seven shutout innings. Meyer scattered five hits and a walk, and ran his season strikeout total to 56, 50 of which have come in the second half of the season to give him the league lead in the category.
Sunday, the Spikes will look to cut their deficit in the race for the second-half title game berth as they take on the Crosscutters in a 4:05 p.m. rubber match of their three-game set at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Right-hander Brendan Knoll (1-3), a mainstay of the State College rotation this season who took a tough loss on Sunday against the Crosscutters, gets the ball for the Spikes. Williamsport will counter with left-hander Blair Frederick (3-0) in the last meeting between the two teams this season.
Fans will enjoy a Hockey Night in Happy Valley as the Spikes take the field in special Hockey Jerseys which will go up for bids in a Jersey-off-the-Back Auction presented by PSECU to benefit Children’s Miracle Network and the great work done at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. The auction is available now through the LiveSource app, with bids taken until the end of the sixth inning of Sunday’s game.
In addition, Hockey Valley legend Denis Smirnov will be on hand for the festivities, including a ceremonial “first puck.”
Plus, it’s a Sunday Funday presented by** Bigfoot Country Legends**. Sunday Funday includes aPre-Game Catch on the Field from 3:00-3:30 p.m.,** Kids Eat Free for the first 250 kids 12 and under with a voucher for a free hot dog, chips and soda at the ballpark entrance gates, and Half-Price Hard Seltzers** from 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Sunday is also Huntingdon County Night, featuring a FREE Geisinger Kids Zone! presented by Friends of Jake Corman. After the game, it’s another Kids Run the Bases Home Run Edition presented by Mount Nittany Health.
After an off day on Monday, the Spikes’ homestand will run all the way to the end of the season and include another bobblehead giveaway/special appearance combo as Michael Mauti, the heart and soul of the 2012 “Iron Lions,” will be on hand as part of the night’s activities on Saturday, September 3. Mauti’s bobblehead also going to the first 1,000 fans of all ages, presented by Penn State Health.
In addition, fans will be thrilled by the chance to see another spectacular display light up the Happy Valley skies from the ballpark infield as part of FIREWORKS from the Field, with Starfire Corporation presenting the show on Sunday, September 4 at the Fan Appreciation Night regular season finale presented by Lion Country Kia, featuring one LuCKy fan driving home a winner with LuCKy’s Kia Giveaway.
More highlights include Medieval Night featuring a Knight Fight on the field on Tuesday, August 30, Summerween on Wednesday, August 31, and the last Bark in the Park of the season, presented by the Centre Daily Times, on Friday, September 2.
A nearly full slate of Daily Fan Value Promotions will also be available, including two more Super Saturdays thanks to the PA Lottery and B94.5.
Tickets for each of the seven games remaining on the Spikes’ biggest regular season home schedule in franchise history are available now. Tickets can be purchased by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets, and view the full 2022 promotional schedule, at the only source for authentic Spikes tickets online by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
More ticket packages, including an array of group and hospitality options for the 2022 season and for football Saturdays in the fall, are currently on sale by calling the Spikes at (814) 272-1711. Additional information on all club ticketing options, as well as team news and schedule info, can be viewed at StateCollegeSpikes.com.
Catch all the action of the Spikes’ game on Sunday 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 3:35 p.m.
The game can be viewed worldwide on the MLB Draft League streaming platform at MLBDraftLeague.com/streaming, along with the “Listen Live” link on StateCollegeSpikes.com and the TuneIn Radio app.
