UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – C.J. Richmond’s tie-breaking, two-out single in the seventh inning gave the State College Spikes the lead en route to a 3-0 victory over the Williamsport Crosscutters on Thursday night Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, keeping the Spikes a half-game back of the Aberdeen IronBirds for an MLB Draft League title game berth with five games left in the regular season.
Richmond stepped up with the bases loaded and smashed an opposite-field single through the left side at 107.6 miles per hour to plate pinch-runner Kyle Singer and Ryan Rivera with the go-ahead runs. The first baseman out of Purdue now has 50 runs batted in for the 2026 MLB Draft League season, just one behind James McCoy of Williamsport (25-16 2ndHalf) for the league lead.
The Spikes (23-18 2nd Half) added an insurance run in the eighth when a throwing error by Crosscutters first baseman Matthew Williams on a bases-loaded force play scored Justin Journette.
The game was a pitchers’ duel in the early going, with State College’s Haden Luke and Williamsport’s Bobby Helt going zero for zero. Luke made his longest outing of the year, going six innings and allowing just one hit, three walks and a hit batsman. The right-hander struck out a total of eight batters, including six in a row at one point, to post his third straight start with eight or more whiffs.
Helt limited the Spikes to four hits, a walk and a hit batsman while also striking out eight batters over six innings. The righty averted his only trouble of the night in the sixth after back-to-back singles from Richmond and Camden Ross and a walk to Journette by striking out Jett Buck with the bases loaded.
Buck did put together a stellar game in the field at second base, robbing Chris Stanfield by snaring a liner in the second, then making a diving stop and springing up to throw out Jack Kail at first base in the eighth.
Reliever Zach Kilby (5-2) earned the win with two scoreless innings in which he walked one batter and struck out three before Patrick Morris (8) locked down the save with a one-hit, one-walk ninth in which he struck out the side.
Williamsport reliever David Pollard (0-3) took the loss after being charged with both of the Spikes’ runs in the seventh.
The scene for the Spikes’ regular-season-ending six-game series against the Crosscutters now shifts to Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field for each of the next two nights. Friday, State College will send left-hander Jackson Mayo (4-2) to the mound to face Williamsport left-hander David Case (4-2) in a 6:35 p.m. matchup.
After another 6:35 p.m. game in Williamsport on Saturday, the Spikes and Crosscutters will return to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Sunday for the penultimate game of the Spikes’ 20th Anniversary Season home schedule.
The skies will light up with a fantastic FIREWORKS show presented by Penn Highlands Healthcare after the game, and the first 1,000 fans through the gates to start the night will receive an Ike the Spike Bobblehead Giveaway presented by McClure Company. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. with early entry for Season Ticket holders and groups.
Plus, if fans have bobbleheads they'd like to trade, or if you would like to exchange the bobblehead received at the gates, the Bobblehead Trading Post is open throughout the night to touch base with fellow bobblehead enthusiasts. The Spikes will partner up with Springnecks, a leading bobblehead group spreading the hobby across the Mid-Atlantic, and they will have a wide array of bobbleheads available for trade at the Bobblehead Trading Post.
It's also THON Night, as we start the drive towards THON 2027 with a variety of fun activities, on the last Sunday Funday of the season presented by BIG Froggy 101, featuring a Pre-Game Catch on the Field from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. The first 250 kids 12 and under also eat for free, with a voucher for a free hot dog, chips and soda available at the entrance gates.
Plus, fans of age can enjoy Half-Price Hard Seltzers, Sun Cruiser Iced Tea Vodka, and Dogfish Head Blood Orange & Mango Vodka Crush from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
It’s also an Ike’s Kids Club FREE Game, with free admission to the game for kids 12 and under who are members of Ike’s Kids Club. For more information on how to join Ike’s Kids Club, visit StateCollegeSpikes.com.
After the game, kids can come down to the field for Kids Run the Bases presented by Mount Nittany Health.
Tickets for both home games remaining on the 20th Anniversary Season schedule, each now featuring FIREWORKS, are available by calling 814-271-1711 or by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with hours during home game days of 10 a.m. to the end of the game Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to the end of the game on Saturday and Sunday.
Spikes fans can also celebrate the final month of the 20th Anniversary Season with 20% off single-game tickets and select Luxury Suites at the ballpark with the 20/20 Special presented by The Clubhouse Family Fun Centre at the Nittany Valley Sports Centre.
That's not just 20% off Diamond Club, Field Box, Bullpen Box and Outfield Bleacher seats - even select Luxury Suites from Tuesday to Thursday are 20% off for every remaining home game in our 20th Anniversary Season.
Use promo code AUGUST20 by phone at 814-272-1711, at the Spikes Ticket Office, or click this link: https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2new/team.asp?SponsorID=19353&promocode=AUGUST20.
Fans can use promo code AUGUST20 to buy and download single-game tickets, and view the 2026 promotional schedule, by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
Catch all the action of the Spikes’ game against the Crosscutters 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 Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field starting at approximately 6:20 p.m.
Audio streaming of every Spikes game, home and away, is available on StateCollegeSpikes.com.
