STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The State College Spikes nearly made a comeback from a big early deficit for the second straight night, but the Trenton Thunder ultimately took a 7-4 win in the rubber match of a three-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Thursday night.
By virtue of the series loss, the Spikes (17-14 2nd Half) fell to two games behind the Thunder (18-11 2nd Half) while remaining in second place in the Major League Baseball Draft League second-half standings with 12 games remaining in the 2024 regular season.
Down 3-0 in the first inning, State College started a rally as they knocked Trenton starter Sonny Fauci out of the box just four hitters into the game with three walks and a bases-loaded hit batsman in Cam Bufford. Grant Norris then brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to center field, but reliever Anthony Potthoff (1-0) got out of the inning without any further damage.
After two more Trenton runs in the second, Knox Preston doubled to right field and Caleb Hill singled through the right side to bring him in for the Spikes’ third run. Hill then advanced to third on a Josh Spiegel single before scoring on an error during a squeeze play.
However, the Spikes could get no closer as the Thunder added tallies in the seventh and eighth to put the game away.
Potthoff picked up the win with 3 1/3 innings of relief after Fauci’s early exit, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits and a walk while striking out four batters. Jacob Denner provided three perfect innings of relief to complete a string of 15 straight batters retired during the series before Ethan Bradford (2) struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.
Jeremy Neff (3-1) took his first loss of the season after going just 4 1/3 innings, his shortest outing not affected by rain as a Spike. Neff was charged with five runs, four of them earned, on five hits and three walks while recording four strikeouts.
Ryan Vogel collected three hits and two RBI’s while stealing two bases for the Thunder. Hunter Dorraugh drove in all three Trenton runs in the first with his triple, allowing him to hit for the cycle over the course of the series.
Friday, the Spikes make their first road visit in nine days a short one with a 6:35 p.m. matchup against the Williamsport Crosscutters at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. State College will send right-hander Chris Shull (0-1) to the mound for the opener of a three-game series against an as yet unnamed Williamsport starter.
The second game of the series will take place back at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. with FIREWORKS lighting up the skies after the game.
Plus, the first 1,000 fans of all ages will receive a Joe Crispin Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Penn State Health, honoring the fourth-leading scorer in Penn State men’s basketball history with 1,986 and a leader of the 2001 Sweet Sixteen squad who took the 2001 National Three-Point Championship crown.
Crispin, who returned to Happy Valley to serve on Head Coach Mike Rhoades’s staff in 2023, will also be on hand to make a special appearance at the ballpark where he will meet and greet fans, throw out the ceremonial first pitch, sign autographs during the game, and be part of more of the ballpark fun during the night.
Gates for Saturday’s game open at 5:30 p.m., with early entrance at 5:20 p.m. for Spikes Season Ticket members and 5:25 p.m. for group ticket holders.
It’s also Coaches vs. Cancer of Penn State Night presented by Diversified Asset Planners as fans can find out how to help raise funds and awareness for the fight against cancer with CVC. Coaches vs. Cancer of Penn State will also be the beneficiary of the night's Spikes 50/50 Drawing.
More activities on a Super Saturday presented by the PA Lottery and Pop 93.3 include Mifflin & Juniata County Night presented by The Sentinel, Kids Run the Bases after the game presented by Mount Nittany Health, and the post-game Jackpot Pitching Challenge, where one lucky fan will have two chances to a win a Spikes Grand Prize Jackpot that keeps on growing each time it goes unclaimed.
To purchase tickets to Saturday’s game, and all five remaining home games 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 Thursday 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 Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field at approximately 6:20 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.
