(Records for the Sudden Death Tiebreaker are not currently included in official game records on the box score and play-by-play, pending further evaluation by the MLB Draft League)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Daniel Harper notched the final six outs in his State College Spikes debut, the last three in the Major League Baseball Draft League Sudden Death Tiebreaker, to give the Spikes the win over the Trenton Thunder after a 5-5 tie in regulation on Thursday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Harper, who joined the Spikes (7-11) after pitching for the University of Kentucky this spring, walked the first batter he faced in the eighth before eliciting three consecutive flyouts.
Under MLB Draft League Sudden Death Tiebreaker rules, the home team decides whether to be on offense or defense prior to the game, with either a run scored by the offense or three outs made by the defense determining the winner.
With the last out of the previous inning placed at first base and no outs, Harper got some help from State College catcher Ben Columbus, who caught Colby Backus stealing. The right-hander then allowed a walk before striking out Mason Hammonds and Gus Sosa back-to-back to end the game and give the Spikes their first win in the overtime frame after three previous losses in that scenario.
The State College bullpen kept the Spikes in the game before Harper closed it out. Trailing 5-1 in the fifth, the Spikes turned to Trae Robertson and Josh Mollerus, each of whom retired all six batters they faced. Robertson allowed an inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly, but struck out two in his best outing with the Spikes. Mollerus notched four strikeouts in his two perfect innings of work.
The Spikes’ comeback started in the eighth as Jordan Williams walked, Tyler Williams was hit by a pitch, and Jake DeFries singled to load the bases. Will Simpson then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center on a tremendous catch by Trenton (10-9) second baseman E.J. Exposito before Alex Toral doubled home a pair of runs to close the margin to 5-4.
In the ninth, Damian Ortiz beat out an infield single, then advanced to third on Tyler Williams’s single. Two batters later, Will Simpson reached on an error that scored Ortiz with the tying run.
Tyler Williams went 2-for-2 with a triple in addition to his time hit by pitch after entering the game in the sixth. Jorge Cartagena drove in the first State College run with a double in the third, one of four extra-base hits out of a team total of eight hits for the game.
No winning or losing pitcher is recorded for games that reach the MLB Draft League Sudden Death Tiebreaker.
Friday, the Spikes and Thunder meet at 6:35 p.m. for the second game of their three-game set at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Right-hander Brendan Knoll (0-0) gets his second start of the year on the mound for State College, while right-hander K**.C. Hunt** (0-1) gets the ball for Trenton. The Spikes touched Hunt, who pitched 12 innings without allowing a run this MLB Draft League season and earned the loop’s first Pitcher of the Week honor, for four runs to give him his first loss this past Saturday.
The second game of the Spikes’ Two Millionth Fan Celebration tops the bill for Friday. The State College Spikes are poised to eclipse two million fans in total attendance over the franchise’s history during this weekend’s games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, and to celebrate, the Spikes will extend the opportunity for one fan to become the commemorative Two Millionth Fan to fans at all six home games from June 23 to July 3.
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.
Fans can enter to become the Two Millionth Fan at the Lion Country Kia table at each Spikes home game through Sunday, July 3, with one finalist per game chosen. All finalists will receive four free tickets to the Spikes’ 6:35 p.m. home game against the West Virginia Black Bears on Sunday, July 3, and will be invited onto the field after the game along with the finalist drawn that night to find out who will be the Spikes’ commemorative Two Millionth Fan.
It's another Half-Price Theme Night this homestand with Jersey Night at the ballpark on Friday. Fans can get half-price tickets for that game by wearing a jersey to the game, presenting a form of New Jersey ID, or by using promo code JERSEY. All half-price specials exclude Rail Kings seats, Pepsi Picnic Pavilion seats and Geisinger Champions Club luxury suites.
Plus, it’s a 4 for $44 Friday presented by 95.3 FM 3WZ. Get four Diamond Club or Field Box seats, four hot dogs, and four regular sodas for just $44, with additional packages available for just $11 each. 4 for $44 Friday packages are available in-person at the Spikes Ticket Office or by phone at 814-272-1711.
After the game, it’s another Kids Run the Bases Home Run Edition presented by Mount Nittany Health.
Fans of age can also quench their thirst with a Bud Light/Yuengling Happy Hour, featuring 16-oz. servings of both brands at half-price from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Tickets every game in the Two Millionth Fan Celebration, 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.
Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets, and view the full 2022 promotional schedule, 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 on Friday 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 6:10 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.
