WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Lyndon Weaver became the third State College Spikes player ever to hit for the cycle and Mason Olson ran his scoreless streak to 18 innings while reducing his earned run average to a Major League Baseball Draft League-leading 0.23 as the Spikes picked up their seventh straight win by defeating the Williamsport Crosscutters, 7-1, on Friday night at Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
Weaver, a product of Shorter University, finished the cycle with a two-run double to left field in the eighth inning to join Jimmy Bosco and Ryan McCarvel in the Spikes (19-18) record book. The Atlanta native started his night with an RBI triple in the first, then notched an infield single in the third and a solo home run to left field, his second of the season, off Riley Ornido in the fifth. Weaver drove in four of State College’s seven runs on the night.
Bosco notched his cycle on June 26, 2013 at the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, while McCarvel accomplished the feat on June 30, 2016 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park against the Brooklyn Cyclones.
Olson (3-0) scattered five hits and a hit batsman over five innings on the mound to record his third consecutive winning start. The left-hander from Spanish Fork, Utah struck out three batters to finish the first half of the MLB Draft League season with a 28-to-6 strikeout-to walk ratio, including a 16-to-1 mark over his last four starts. Olson, who is set to continue his collegiate career at BYU, will also finish the first half with a league-leading 32 innings pitched.
State College’s win also eliminated Williamsport (20-17) from the race for the first-half title in the MLB Draft League, clinching the crown for the West Virginia Black Bears. West Virginia will now host the MLB Draft League Championship Game on Tuesday, September 6 at Monongalia County Ballpark against the league’s second-half champion. If West Virginia win the second half as well, the second-place team in the second half will face them in the championship playoff.
Josh Mollerus finished his first half strong with two scoreless innings of relief for the Spikes as five of the six outs he recorded came via strikeout.
Alex Toral netted two runs batted in for State College, both via sacrifice flies.
Williamsport starter Connor Fenlong (1-1) took the loss after being tagged for four runs, three of them earned, on four hits and two walks over four innings. Fenlong struck out four batters in the effort.
Saturday, the Spikes and Crosscutters finish off the first half of the 2022 MLB Draft League schedule with a 6:35 p.m. matchup at Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. Right-hander Jared Kengott (1-1) will get the ball for State College, while Williamsport will start right-hander Easton Sikorski (0-1).
Following the first half of the MLB Draft League season, the league will take a break for the MLB Draft itself, taking place in Los Angeles starting on Sunday, July 17 during MLB All-Star Break before the second half begins on Friday, July 22.
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 on Saturday 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 Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field at 6:20 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.
