TRENTON, N.J. – Logan Mathieu, Braedon Blackford and Josh Leslie all went deep for the State College Spikes, who totaled 10 extra-base hits and 16 hits in total to thump the Trenton Thunder, 14-3, on Tuesday night at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
Mathieu, a native of Bellefonte, hit his first home run for the Spikes (5-4 2nd Half) when he sent an 0-1 pitch from Trenton (4-4 2nd Half) starter Lane Miller (0-1 2nd Half) down the right-field line just inside the foul pole for a two-run shot in the third inning
Blackford continued the Spikes’ home run parade with a two-run homer to center field of his own off Miller in the fourth inning. The Purdue Fort Wayne product became the second Spike after Luis Aviles to hit multiple homers in the Major League Baseball Draft League’s second half.
In the fifth, shortstop Josh Leslie’s fly ball to left field carried over the wall for a solo homer, his first of the season.
The Spikes scored two runs in each of the first four innings, with Carlos Contreras starting the barrage with a two-out, two-run triple in the first. In the second, Jesse Fonteboa led off the frame with a triple and scored on an error, while Marques Paige delivered a sacrifice fly.
In the seventh, Fonteboa plated Contreras with a sacrifice fly after the latter’s one-out double. State College poured it on late with a four-run ninth that featured a two-run double from Paige, an RBI double for Blackford, and a run-scoring error.
Spikes pitching helped the stout offensive effort hold up and then some. Louis Davenport III started and went 3 2/3 innings before left-hander Jacob Bruning (1-0 2nd Half) turned in 2 1/3 scoreless, one-hit innings in his debut with the club to pick up the win. Bruning struck out two batters.
Sebastian Rodriguez (1) logged three shutout frames to finish the game and earn the save in his debut with the Spikes. The Point Park (Pa.) product yielded two hits while striking out two batters.
All of Trenton’s runs came via the long ball. Dan Covino hit a two-run homer to right in the second, while Kolby Johnson led off the third with a solo shot to left-center field, with each homer serving as the first of the year for Covino and Johnson.
Miller took the loss after being charged with eight runs, seven on them earned, on eight hits, one walk and a hit batsman. The right-hander struck out two batters in the effort.
Wednesday, the Spikes and Thunder get off to an early start for the middle game of their three-game series at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. First pitch is set to fly at 11 a.m., with right-hander Jonah Jenkins (0-1 2nd Half) getting the ball for State College to face Trenton right-hander Nick Payero (0-1 2nd Half).
Following the road trip to Trenton and West Virginia, the Spikes will be home on Tuesday, July 25 to face the Williamsport Crosscutters for a 6:35 p.m. Christmas in July matchup featuring Jared Box Night, where fans can bring an unwrapped gift for The Jared Box Project for $2 off their ticket, or mention Jared Box when purchasing their ticket at the Spikes Ticket Office or by phone to have $2 of their ticket purchase donated by the Spikes to The Jared Box Project.
Then on Wednesday, July 26, it’s a 12:05 p.m. start for the Spikes and Crosscutters on Super Splash Day, where the ballpark goes wet and wild as the Geisinger Kids Zone turns into the Splash Zone, and fans get enjoy lunchtime at the ballpark with half-price wine for fans during the Wine Wednesday happy hour presented by Seven Mountains Wine Cellars.
Tickets for the July 25-26 home games, as well as every game remaining on the second half of the Spikes’ largest 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 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets, and view the full 2023 promotional schedule, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
More ticket packages, including Flex Books and an array of group and hospitality options for the 2023 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 the action of the Spikes’ game 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 Trenton Thunder Ballpark starting at approximately 10:45 a.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.
