UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The State College Spikes passed an important milestone on Saturday night as they eclipsed the two million mark in total attendance at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park over the franchise’s history during a 7-4 win over the Trenton Thunder.
With the 3,333 fans on hand for Saturday’s matchup, the Spikes have now welcomed 2,001,314 fans through the gates at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park since 2006. The** Two Millionth Fan Celebration**, which began on Thursday, will last through Sunday, July 3 to extend the opportunity for even more fans to join the fun.
Fans have been entering to become the Spikes’ commemorative Two Millionth Fan at the Lion Country Kia Plinko table on the concourse, with one finalist for the honors drawn at each of the six home games from June 23 to July 3. One additional finalist will be drawn from the Spikes’ array of season ticket holders, and all finalists will be invited onto the field after the Spikes’ home game on Sunday, July 3, where one fan will be named the Spikes’ commemorative Two Millionth Fan.
The Spikes’ commemorative Two Millionth Fan will receive the Two Millionth Fan Ultimate Lifetime Prize Pack, which includes Spikes season tickets for life for the seat of their choice in the ballpark, a **Shopping Spree **at the Spikes’ official team store, Off the Rack Outfitters, a guaranteed 20-person Luxury Suite night in the Geisinger Champions Club at one Spikes home game per season for life, a guarantee to receive all remaining 2022 Spikes giveaways, and many more sensational prizes befitting the Two Millionth Fan.
In game action on Sunday, the Spikes (8-12) put together a total team effort in topping the Thunder (11-10) to clinch a series victory. Five State College pitchers – Brock Blatter, Connor Brandon, Dillon Orr (1-0), Kiernan Higgins and **Gunner Morris **(1) - combined for 14 strikeouts to pace the defense, while timely hitting enabled the Spikes to break a 4-4 tie in the sixth and earn the win.
State College took a 4-1 lead in the first two frames behind Miles Simington’s RBI double, Alex Toral’s run-scoring groundout and Ben Columbus’s two-out RBI single in the first, followed by Simington’s sacrifice fly to center in the second. After Trenton rallied to tie the game on** E.J. Exposito**’s solo homer to left-center field in the fifth, the Spikes fought back in the sixth.
An error and a walk enabled Lukas Cook to double in the go-ahead run, with Jordan Williams delivering another via a sacrifice fly to center two batters later. The Spikes added insurance in the seventh when Will Simpson tripled to the gap in right-center field and scored on Toral’s sacrifice fly to left.
The Spikes featured a pair of 18-year-old prospects who shined on the hill. Blatter, a native of Billings, Mont. who is committed to the University of Alabama, started and allowed three runs, though only one of them earned, on four hits and three walks while striking out six over the first three innings.
Orr, a native of Waddell, Ariz. who is committed to the University of Tennessee, then pitched two scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh to earn his first MLB Draft League win. The right-hander allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one.
Morris picked up the save, allowing one walk and striking out one in a scoreless ninth.
Trenton reliever Chase Nowak (0-1) took the loss after yielding two unearned runs on a hit and two walks over 3 1/3 innings. Nowak recorded two strikeouts in the effort.
The Spikes will now join the five other MLB Draft League teams for a Pro Day at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sunday before resuming the league schedule on Tuesday with the opener of a three-game road series against the Frederick Keys at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. Pitchers for the 7:00 p.m. matchup on Tuesday will be determined later.
Following the set in Frederick, the Spikes return to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for a huge three-game series against the West Virginia Black Bears on Independence Day weekend. Highlights include Strangest Things Night at the ballpark on a 4 for $44 Friday presented by 95.3 3WZ on Friday, July 1, Bark in the Park II presented by the Centre Daily Times on Saturday, July 2, and a special post-game blast-off by the Human Cannonball, David Smith Jr. along with FIREWORKS presented by the PA Lottery on Sunday, July 3 when the commemorative Two Millionth Fan will be revealed.
Tickets for every game in the Two Millionth Fan Celebration this Independence Day weekend, as well as every game on 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.
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.
Catch all of the action on Tuesday 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 Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium at 6:45 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.
