UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Five State College Spikes pitchers combined to record 17 strikeouts, and Cam Bufford joined Bobby Sparling in launching second-inning homers, but the Trenton Thunder used a big third inning to key a 13-5 victory on Tuesday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Caden Kaelber (0-1), Ryan Ward, Matthew Linskey, Ty Buckner and Jacob Odle each recorded at least three whiffs in the effort, which was just one strikeout shy of the Spikes (4-2) team record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. State College posted 18 strikeouts as a team on July 3, 2019 against the Batavia Muckdogs.
Bufford, who was making his Spikes debut out of Grambling State, stepped into the box for the first time in Happy Valley in the second inning and smacked a 1-0 pitch from Trenton (5-1) starter Devin Rivera (1-0) 408 feet over the center field wall for a solo homer.
Three batters later, after Cade Climie had singled, Sparling drove a 2-0 pitch from Rivera 404 feet to center field for a two-run shot to give the Spikes a 3-1 lead.
However, the Thunder scored six runs in the third inning to gain an advantage they would not relinquish, with three of them coming on an inside the park home run by Evan Sleight after a sinking liner hit a sprinkler head in center field and skipped all the way to the wall.
Luke Napleton tripled home a pair of runs in the ninth inning for State College to finish the scoring.
Kaelber took the loss after being charged with six runs, five of them earned, on five hits, two walks and a hit batsman while notching three strikeouts over two-plus innings.
Rivera picked up the win after a five-inning outing in which he yielded three runs on six hits and three walks.
Wednesday, the Spikes face the Thunder in the finale of their three-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, with first pitch set to fly at 6:35 p.m. State College will send right-hander Ben Harris (1-0) out of Georgia Gwinnett to the mound to face an as yet undetermined Trenton starter.
It’s Grad Night, featuring half-price seats for any recent graduate in a cap and gown, on a Wine Wednesday presented by Seven Mountains Wine Cellars and WOWY Radio, with half-price wine and half-price Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Following the series with Trenton, the Spikes will host the Frederick Keys in a big weekend series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park from this Friday through Sunday. Highlights include the first Bark in the Park of the season on Friday presented by the Centre Daily Times, where fans can bring their dogs to enjoy the fun, FIREWORKS after the Healthcare Appreciation Night game on Saturday with the events presented by curavetti, and a World Record First Pitch attempt before Sunday’s 4:05 p.m. game with Penn State Football Uplifting Athletes players on hand to be part of the action.
Tickets for those games, as well as every game remaining 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. until the end of the game on Saturday.
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.
