NILES, Ohio – Rob Morosetti’s two-out, two-run single in the sixth gave the State College Spikes the lead, and Tristen Hudson closed out the game with a six-out save as the Spikes topped the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, 5-1, on Saturday night at Eastwood Field for their first second-half victory of the 2022 MLB Draft League season.
Morosetti, a Pittsburgh native out of Gannon (Pa.) University who had been with Roswell in the Pecos League before joining the Spikes (1-1 2nd half), lined an 0-1 pitch from Mahoning Valley (1-1 2nd half) reliever Chad Coles (0-1 2nd half) into right field to plate Luis Aviles and Marques Paige.
The single put State College ahead, 3-1, and the Spikes added a run on Aviles’ seventh-inning two-out double, his second of the game, to score Josh Madole in the seventh. State College plated the final run on the game in the ninth on a wild pitch that scored Dawson Bailey from third with two outs.
Hudson (1), who closed out North Greenville’s clinching win over Point Loma to earn the school’s first-ever NCAA Division II national championship in June, took care of the Scrappers in short order over the eighth and ninth to pick up his first save with the Spikes. The right-hander yielded just one walk and struck out three batters over two frames.
Spikes reliever Mike Oh (1-0), making his debut for the club out of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, tossed two scoreless innings of his own to earn his first win in the MLB Draft League. Oh allowed two hits while striking out three batters.
State College starter Louis Davenport III, making his return to the mound for the Spikes after tossing 41 2/3 innings with them in the 2021 MLB Draft League season, shook off a tape-measure solo homer to left from Jeffrey Wehler in the first to allow just one more hit over the rest of his four innings. Davenport recorded three strikeouts.
Wehler’s home run, which went over the second row of was his first with Mahoning Valley.
Brody Perkes notched his second straight multi-hit game for the Spikes, going 2-for-5 with a game-tying RBI infield single in the fifth.
Coles, who went 2-2 for the Scrappers in the MLB Draft League’s first half, allowed two unearned runs on two hits while striking out two batters over 1 2/3 innings in the loss.
Sunday, the Spikes face the Scrappers in the rubber match of their three-game series at Eastwood Field with a 2:05 p.m. start. Right-hander Jared Kengott, who returns to the Spikes for the second half after going 1-1 with a 1.71 earned run average in the season’s first half, will face Mahoning Valley right-hander Jacob Harsany, who was 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA.
Following the weekend jaunt to Ohio, the Spikes return home Monday to start a stretch of six home games in seven days at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Spikes fans can once again enjoy dazzling FIREWORKS spectaculars from a unique vantage point as FIREWORKS from the Field returns for each of the five remaining shows on the 2022 home schedule.
Starting with a FIREWORKS Weekend that features back-to-back shows on Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30, all fans are invited to come down onto the infield at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to see the skies light up with each of these special presentations from the Spikes and their official FIREWORKS provider, Starfire Corporation. Friday’s show after the 6:35 p.m. game against Mahoning Valley is presented by Penn State Health.
Fans will also get the chance to support great causes this coming weekend. Saturday, July 30, join us to raise funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer at the annual Paint the Park Pink Night presented by Mount Nittany Health. The Spikes wear special Pink and Black Jerseys which go up for bids in a Jersey-off-the-Back Auction benefiting the Mount Nittany Health Foundation, available soon on the LiveSource app. The night is capped off with another FIREWORKS from the Field display.
Then on Sunday, July 31, Still Strong Night will take place during the Spikes’ 4:05 p.m. game with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, and feature a special appearance from foundation co-founder, former NFL defensive lineman and proud Blue & White alum Devon Still. In addition to Still throwing out a first pitch and being part of the night’s activities, proceeds from the Spikes’ 50/50 drawing for the night will go to the Still Strong Foundation, and fans will have many ways to find out how to support the foundation and its cause.
Friday will be the first bobblehead giveaway of the season with the Wally Triplett "We Are" Talking Bobblehead presented by Boyles Insurance.The bobblehead, crafted in consultation with Triplett's family, will go to the first 1,000 fans of all ages at Friday's game. In addition to featuring the legendary back in a pose reminiscent of his performance in the 1948 Cotton Bowl, which gave rise to the use of "We Are" as a unifying cry across Nittany Nation, the bobblehead will feature a button that will play "We Are" whenever pressed.
Plus, social media superstar and top Happy Valley hooper Anna Camden joins the fun for TikTok Night on Thursday, and Santa Claus will be on hand for Christmas in July during the homestand opener on Monday, featuring a Jared Box Project Toy Drive - bring a toy to the game and receive $2 off your ticket, or mention Jared Box at the Ticket Office and $2 will go to the Jared Box Project.
More highlights include Philipsburg-Osceola Community Night on Friday, Scout Night and Penns Valley Community Night on Saturday, plus a pair of FREE Geisinger Kids Zone! nights presented by Friends of Jake Corman next weekend.
Tickets for every game in the second half of 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, at the only source for authentic Spikes tickets online 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 of the Spikes’ game on Sunday 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 Eastwood Field at 1:50 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.
