UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Austin Roccaforte and Manny Jackson both notched multi-hit game for the State College Spikes on Sunday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, but the Trenton Thunder took an 11-3 decision in the second of a two-game mini-series.
The Spikes (8-9 2nd Half) picked up a split in the set with the defeat. Jackson scored the Spikes’ first run after his first single when Cam Bufford brought him in with a single of his own, then added another in the eighth. Roccaforte reached base three times, adding a walk to his two hits, while also bringing in a run with an eighth-inning fielder’s choice.
Trenton (11-5 2nd Half) took the lead with two runs in the first, then took control of the game on Anthony Abbatine’s three-run homer to right-center field, his first of the season, in the third. The Thunder added a five-run frame in the fourth to take a double-digit lead and held on the rest of the way.
Abbatine drove in a total of four runs for Trenton while Hunter Dorraugh knocked in three and Ian Battipaglia added three hits.
State College starter Phillip Bryant (0-3) took the loss after being charged with eight runs over three innings.
Trenton reliever Chic DeGaetano (1-2), a Penn Stater who called Medlar Field at Lubrano Park home this spring, picked up the win in relief with 1 1/3 scoreless innings. DeGaetano earned the credit after starter Jackson Balzan went just 4 2/3 innings, striking out eight batters but throwing 104 pitches.
After an off day on the MLB Draft League schedule, the Spikes resume action at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park with the first game of a three-game series against the Frederick Keys. Virginia Tech left-hander Jeremy Neff (2-0), who has posted a 1.00 earned run average over first three Spikes starts, all quality starts of six innings in length, gets the ball for the 6:35 p.m. series opener.
Fans can enjoy Walking Taco Tuesday presented by Bigfoot Country Legends, where half-price Walking Tacos are available at the Salsa concession stand on the third-base side all game long.
More highlights of the three-game set to finish a seven-game homestand include Glizzy and Wine Wednesday presented by Seven Mountains Wine Cellars and WOWY Radio, with half-price Country Store Brand hot dogs all game long, and half-price Seven Mountains Wine Cellars wine and Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy drafts from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., as well as an Eric Milton No-Hitter 25th Anniversary Commemorative Poster Giveaway for the first 500 fans on $1 Beer Night at Thirsty Thursday presented by The BUS.
To purchase tickets to the upcoming series this week, and every remaining home game on the Spikes’ 2024 schedule at the new-look Medlar Field at Lubrano Park through September 3, fans can call 814-272-1711 or visit 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 24/7, and view the 2024 promotional schedule, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
Catch all of the action of the Spikes’ game on Tuesday 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 at approximately 6:05 p.m.
The game can be viewed worldwide on the MLB Draft League streaming platform powered by Pixellot at MLB.watch.pixellot.tv and the Watch section of the MLB app by scrolling the Watch Now tab, along with the “Listen Live” link on StateCollegeSpikes.com and the TuneIn Radio app.
