GRANVILLE, W.Va. – After a one hour, 34 minute rain delay at the outset of the game, lightning in the area curtailed the State College Spikes’ matchup against the West Virginia Black Bears at Monongalia County Ballpark on Thursday night. The game, which the Spikes were leading, 3-0, at the time of the stoppage in the fourth inning, will not be completed, and will not count in the Major League Baseball Draft League standings.
**Keshawn Ogans **and **Miles Simington **brought the thunder for the Spikes in the first inning before the lightning ended the contest. Ogans, a Pac-12 product out of Cal, led off the game with his first MLB Draft League hit, sending a 1-1 pitch from West Virginia starter **Zach Bravo **409 feet to left-center field to give State College a 1-0 lead.
Two batters later, Simington followed Ty Hill’s single with a two-run shot to right-center field measured at 396 feet for his first hit with the Spikes. The South Alabama outfielder also jumped on Bravo early in the count, sending an 0-1 pitch over the wall.
**Thomas Wilhite **delivered a solid pitching performance in his first start for State College before the stoppage. Wilhite, out of Tyler Junior College in Texas, yielded just two hits while striking out three batters over three innings.
**Jorge Cartagena **also collected a pair of hits in the first four frames before the game was halted.
The Spikes now continue their road trip in New Jersey with the opener of a three-game series at Trenton Thunder Ballpark against the namesake squad Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Right-hander **Brendan Knoll **(0-0) out of Minnesota State will make his first start for State College after two relief appearances.
Trenton is scheduled to go with right-hander **K.C. Hunt **(0-0) on the mound. Hunt won the first MLB Draft League Pitcher of the Week honors for the 2022 season on Tuesday after holding Frederick to just three hits while striking out seven batters over five scoreless innings this past Saturday.
Following the weekend series against Thunder, the Spikes will start a six-game homestand from Monday, June 20 through Saturday, June 25 aft Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Highlights of the homestand include **Yoga Night **on International Yoga Day, with a Yoga Night Ticket Package,featuring admission to **Pregame Yoga **in Porter Gardens presented by TriYoga of Central Pennsylvania, on **PA Bus Association Night **this Tuesday, June 21, the return of **Thirsty Thursday **on **Singles Night **Thursday, June 23, and a fantastic post-game **FIREWORKS **show presented by **The Meadows **on **First Responders Night **Saturday, June 25.
Tickets for the Spikes’ next homestand, as well as every game 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, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
More ticket packages, including Flex Books and an array of group and hospitality options for the 2022 season, 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 of the action on Friday 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 at 6:45 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.
