TRENTON, N.J. – Camden Ross crushed a three-run bomb to cap a six-run rally in the ninth for the State College Spikes, but it was not enough as the Trenton Thunder, playing in their Trenton Pork Roll alternate identity, captured a 16-9 victory in the opener of a weekend series at Trenton Thunder Ballpark on Friday night.
Ross’s shot, his first long ball of the season for the Spikes (4-6), left the bat at 103 miles per hour and traveled 388 feet in a high-arcing trajectory that kept State College’s last-ditch effort going.
Earlier in the frame, Mac Rose had doubled in one run and Tyree Reed two more as the Spikes’ bats cooked late. Reed’s 10 runs batted in for the season now leads the MLB Draft League through the first 10 games of the summer.
The Spikes’ mound corps also saved its best for last as reigning MLB Draft League Pitcher of the Week Tommy Gross threw two scoreless innings to finish the night, striking out two batters while allowing just one hit in the process. Gross has now posted five straight shutout innings to begin his time with State College.
18-year-old right-hander Max Hamilton, an Oklahoma State commit out of Olathe West High School in Olathe, Kan.,also acquitted himself well in his debut outing with the Spikes, going 2 1/3 innings and allowing just one unearned run on three hits and two walks while posting three strikeouts.
Fellow 18-year-old right-hander Grayden Seuferling (0-1) drew the loss after pitching the first inning of the game. The Blue Springs South (Mo.) High School product was charged with two earned runs on two hits and a hit batsman while striking out one batter in his Spikes debut.
19-year-old third baseman Easton Kitura, a top Canadian prospect from Vauxhall Baseball Academy in Alberta, also made his Spikes debut, playing all nine innings at the hot corner.
Justin Journette posted a three-hit game for State College.
Jake Koonin delivered a two-run homer, his first of the season for the Thunder (8-1), as part of a six-run second inning, one of four multi-run frames that Trenton put together on Friday.
Trenton reliever Cole Fehrman (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit batsman while striking out four hitters for the win.
Saturday, the Spikes look to get back on track as they face the Thunder in a 6:00 p.m. matchup at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. Right-hander Chase Meyer (0-0), who dominated with seven strikeouts over three innings in his first start for State College this past Saturday, gets the ball for the second time in a Spikes uniform tomorrow night against an as yet unnamed Trenton starter.
After the road trip concludes on Sunday, the Spikes will come back to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for the first six-game homestand of their 20th Anniversary Season from Tuesday, June 16 through Sunday, June 21, hosting the Canadian Junior National Team for a trio of games in the MLB Draft League International Series before a three-game series with the Thunder.
Highlights include the three-night Salute to Canada in honor of our visiting neighbors to the north, with a Salute to Canadian Music on Tuesday, June 16, a Salute to Maple Syrup on Wednesday, June 17, and Runner-Up Celebration Night featuring a Silver Medal Giveaway for the first 250 fans on Thursday, June 18, along with the first Bark in the Park Night of the 2026 home schedule on Friday, June 19 and BuccoMania Night as part of the 20th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, June 20.
Tickets for all six-games in the homestand from June 16-21, along with every remaining home game on the 20thAnniversary Season schedule, are available by calling 814-271-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with hours during home game days of 9 a.m. to the end of the game Monday through Friday and 10 a.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 Thunder on Saturday 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 Trenton Thunder Ballpark starting at approximately 5:45 p.m.
Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com.
