UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Trailing 8-1 entering the eighth inning, the State College Spikes came all the way back to bring the tying run to the plate, but could not finish the rally as they dropped into a tie for first place in the MLB Draft League’s first-half title race with an 8-5 loss to the Frederick Keys on Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
With the Spikes’ (14-11) loss and the West Virginia Black Bears’ (14-11) 5-3 victory over Trenton, State College and West Virginia are now even in the standings with four games left in the league’s first-half schedule for both teams. The Black Bears hold the tiebreaker in that scenario, having won the first-half head-to-head battle, 2-1.
Three straight walks and two wild pitches started the State College comeback in the eighth before Quinn Bentley’s two-out single to right made it 8-4. After Dylan Lapointe was hit by a pitch, Cole Pladson’s infield single scored Bentley to trim the margin to three runs with Javon Hernandez coming to the plate.
Hernandez then drove a ball towards the right-center field gap, but Frederick (11-17) center fielder Anthony Diaz chased it down to douse the Spikes’ threat.
Pladson and Harrison Didawick each recorded two hits, while Ryan Rivera went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, matching the longest such string in the MLB Draft League this season. Rivera was named the MLB Draft League Player of the Week for July 1-6 on Monday.
State College starter Ahmad Harajli (0-1) struck out seven batters over four innings, but took the loss in his Spikes debut.
Frederick starter David Shaw (1-0) notched seven strikeouts of his own over five scoreless innings for the win. Jack Bowery (1) elicited the final out of the eighth and retired the Spikes in order in the ninth for the save.
Wednesday, the Spikes and Keys meet in the middle game of their three-game set. The 6:35 p.m. matchup will feature LSU right-hander Jacob Mayers (0-0) making his second and final start of the season for State College against Frederick left-hander Matthew Becker (0-1).
Fans can enjoy Glizzy and Wine Wednesday presented by Seven Mountains Wine Cellars and WOWY Radio, with half-price hot dogs all game long along with half-price Seven Mountains Wine Cellars 5 oz. wine glasses and half-price 16 oz. Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Following a Thirsty Thursday presented by The BUS, with $2 12-oz. drafts around the ballpark from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., to round out the series against the Keys, the Spikes will host the Williamsport Crosscutters for a pair of 6:35 p.m. games on Friday and Saturday to round out the first-half schedule.
Highlights of the remainder of the week include appearances from the Pirate Parrot, the Pittsburgh Pierogies and the Bucco Brigade at BuccoMania on Friday, July 11, and FIREWORKS on Cancer Survivors Night presented by Penn Highlands Healthcare along with a Spikes Team Poster Giveaway presented by Fullington Bus Company for the first 500 fans and a Team Autograph Session during the first-half finale on Saturday, July 12.
Tickets for Wednesday’s game, as well every remaining home game on the Spikes’ 2025 regular season schedule through August 28, are available by calling 814-272-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, 9 a.m. until the end of the game on Friday, and 10 a.m. until the end of the game on Saturday and Sunday.
Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets, and view the 2025 promotional schedule, here at StateCollegeSpikes.com.
Catch all of the action of the Spikes’ game against the Keys on Wednesday 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 6:05 p.m.
Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com and the TuneIn Radio app.
