NILES, Ohio – State College Spikes returnee Camden Ross smashed a two-run single in the eighth inning to keep the game within reach, but the Mahoning Valley Scrappers took a 6-3 victory on Tuesday night at 7/17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood to in the 2026 MLB Draft League opener for both teams.
Ross, a catcher from Western Kentucky, who reached base at a .433 clip for the Spikes (0-1) over 22 games in 2025, marked his return by driving in Alex Mendoza Jr. and Tyree Reed to cut the deficit to two runs. CJ Richmond and Luke Nomura also stole bases to aid the State College offense.
Mahoning Valley (1-0) shortstop Josiah Seguin provided the key hit of the game with a three-run double off the left-field wall in the seventh to break open a 1-1 tie. Seguin reached base a total of four times with two walks and a time hit by pitch in addition to his extra-base hit.
Scrappers reliever Tommy Szczepanski (1-0) allowed three of the first four batters he faced to reach base, but finished his three-inning outing with seven strikeouts, including six in a row, for the win.
Spikes reliever Zach Kilby (0-1) took the loss after being charged with four runs on four hits and a walk while striking four batters over two innings.
The Spikes will meet the Scrappers in the second game of their three-game set in Niles on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Parker Detmers from the University of Louisivlle is set to open the game on the mound for State College, while right-hander Johan Baez is slated to start for Mahoning Valley.
Following their season-opening series in Mahoning Valley, the Spikes will return home Friday to start the Opening Weekend of their 20th Anniversary Season at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
It all begins with Opening Night presented by PSECU, featuring plenty of pageantry surrounding a rematch of last year's MLB Draft League Championship Game with the West Virginia Black Bears on Friday, June 5. Game time is 6:35 p.m., with a wide array of fun culminating in a fantastic FIREWORKS show after the game presented by PSECU. Plus, the first 500 fans will receive a 20th Anniversary Season Schedule Poster presented by PSECU.
Saturday, June 6, the Opening Weekend fun continues starting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with an MLB Pitch Hit & Run competition as part of PLAY BALL Weekend. Kids from 7 to 14 are welcome to participate in baseball or softball, with every participant receiving a Franklin Bat and Ball Set. Registration is open now at https://statecollegespikes.leagueapps.com/events/4965355.
In 2024, State College native Sid Thomas, then 9 years old, advanced all the way from Happy Valley to the MLB Pitch Hit & Run finals at Dodger Stadium, where she finished third nationally in the 9-10 Softball division. Then last year, Bellefonte native Makenzie Kellogg captured the 11-12 Softball division championship at the MLB Pitch Hit & Run finals at Rogers Centre in Toronto after starting her journey at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Later on the same Saturday night, enjoy another tremendous post-game FIREWORKS display provided by Starfire Corporation following a 6:35 p.m. game against West Virginia - that's back-to-back FIREWORKS shows to start the 20th Anniversary Season.
Then, Opening Weekend finishes with Six Seven Night - it still won't go away, so we're still turning into the State College Six Seven Baseball Club for one night only, complete with special Six Seven jerseys - with every jersey bearing the number Six Seven - going up for bids in a Jersey-off-the-Back Auction presented by PSECU to benefit Children's Miracle Network at Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville. Fans can place their bids on the Six Seven jerseys on the LiveSource app.
In addition, Bullpen Box tickets will be available for $6.70 through the Spikes Ticket Office on June 7 for all fans that stand 6’7”, or any fan that is 67 years old.
The first 670 fans through the gates will also receive a pair of Six Seven Sunglasses, and all fans can enjoy the Six Seventh Inning Stretch during the game, along with more Six Seven activities.
Fans can also enter the Six Seven Sweepstakes, with ten lucky fans to be drawn to win $67 in gift cards. Plus, if the Six Sevens score six runs in the seventh inning, one lucky fan drawn will win $6,700. No purchase is necessary for Six Seven Sweepstakes entries.
Tickets for all three games on Opening Weekend of the 20th Anniversary Season, as well as all 41 games on the 2026 Spikes home 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 of the action of the Spikes’ game against the Scrappers on Wednesday 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 6:50 p.m.
Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com.
