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The cancellation of the 2020 minor league season left a hole in the fabric of the typical Centre County summer, as it meant no State College Spikes games for fans to attend.
But beyond the missed opportunities for eating Dippin’ Dots at the ballpark on a hot July night or watching postgame fireworks, the hearts of “host moms” like Joanne Broderick, Tara Shaffer and Michelle Spaide ached for another reason — the players.
“It’s not about us, and it’s not about us missing seeing games or missing seeing our friends at the ballpark,” Broderick said. “More importantly, it’s just breaking my heart that these young men that worked so hard all their lives to realize this dream of playing in the major leagues have, by no fault of their own — it’s just come to an end for them.”
She added: “They find their dream gone in a flash.”
Broderick has been hosting Spikes players since 2010, when her then 11-year-old son heard about the program at a Spikes game. Shaffer and Spaide have also been hosts for nearly a decade, hosting since 2011 and 2012, respectively.
All three knew once they started hosting, they wouldn’t stop.
Beyond financial incentives, being a host family gave them opportunities to make a difference in players’ lives, and give their children a good role model.
Broderick and her family relished the craziness that occurred every summer, and saw it as an opportunity to give her children good examples of people to look up to.
“Their impact on us is just seeing these young men who are dedicated to their sport was wonderful for my husband and I, but was also really great for our young boys to see that, to give them an example of someone who had a dream and worked hard for it,” Broderick said.
Spaide would primarily host players from South American countries, as well as a few North American players. Venezuelan players would often bring their wives with them, as the Cardinals organization allowed them to due to the country’s political turmoil.
“It’s an opportunity for them to have somebody who’s going to teach them, take care of them, help them learn to grow and hopefully thrive in the United States,” Spaide said.
Spaide has continued to keep in contact with some of the Latin players who have remained in the United States during this unexpected offseason and checks in occasionally to see how they are doing.
For the past decade or so, Spaide, Broderick and Shaffer’s summers have revolved around the players they host. Beyond not having baseball games to go to, the trio also misses the busyness that comes along with being a host family.
The lack of making sure players are getting to practice on time, picking them up from road games, and going to all the home games make this summer feel somewhat empty for them.
“It’s definitely been different. We were just saying the other day, we have a lot of free time that we didn’t have before, because we would often go to the game,” Shaffer said. “We even had planned a summer vacation, which ended up getting canceled. We planned it around when the guys would be home and when they would be away. We like to spend time with them when they’re home and not on road trips.”
Beyond the season, many hosts would keep in contact with their former players, whether or not they continued to play professionally. These relationships made the experience more enriching, as host families became more than just that — they became “lifelong friends,” and continued to be present in these players’ lives.
“It’s been really great to see them kind of advance through their careers and then see their lives beyond the sport,” Shaffer said. “When the sport decides that they’re done, and to see them getting married, getting engaged — we still stay connected with a lot of our players.”
Broderick, like Shaffer, continues to stay in contact with some of her former host players. When Minor League Baseball announced the season would be canceled, she didn’t hesitate to reach out to them.
“I was texting all of our previous players that I knew were still playing like ‘Are you OK, what’s going on?,” she said.
While the future of the State College Spikes and New York-Penn League remains unclear, one thing is clear to these host families.
If the season returns next summer, they will host players again.
“I would love to be able to be a host family again,” Spaide said. “I don’t do it for the glory, I do it because I enjoy it and I enjoy helping other people.”
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The State College Spikes’ season, which was delayed from its June 18 start, was officially canceled Tuesday.","content":"
Another summertime staple in State College has been erased from the calendar. The Spikes’ season, which was delayed from its June 18 start due to COVID-19, was officially canceled Tuesday.
Minor League Baseball President and CEO Pat O’Conner announced in a statement that there will not be a 2020 minor league season because the major league teams will not provide players to their affiliates. “While this is a sad day for many, this announcement removes the uncertainty surrounding the 2020 season and allows” them to look ahead to 2021, O’Conner said.
The Spikes posted on Facebook that they were disappointed by the cancellation of what was to be their 15th season.
“We work throughout the year in anticipation of sharing summer nights together, making memories with friends old and new. We miss the smiles, shared experiences and all-inclusive sense of community the Spikes and Minor League Baseball stand for.”
Tuesday’s announcement comes a day before major league teams report to training camp to prepare for a 60-game season.
Fritz Smith, president and CEO of The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, also expressed his disappointment at the loss of the season. While saying the announcement was “somewhat expected,” he added that the loss will be “felt on multiple levels.”
“On a positive note, we do anticipate some fun, affordable family events at the ballpark this summer in lieu of baseball, starting with the fireworks viewing opportunity this weekend,” he said. “We applaud the manner in which the State College Spikes and many of our attractions and events have developed creative alternatives in this challenging year. Moving forward, our focus will be working together with our friends in the organization and the community to help make sure that Spikes baseball returns better than ever in 2021.”
The Spikes will open the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park gates at 7:30 p.m. July 4 for fans to watch the Central PA 4th Fest fireworks display. Visitors are asked to bring nonperishable items to donate to the 4th Fest food drive, and young fans will be able to run the bases.
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Baseball may be on hold for now, but the State College Spikes are exploring other ways to connect with fans.
General manager Scott Walker said Monday that the team is still preparing for the season to take place in some form, but the organization is “disappointed we won’t be able to see all of our friends, fans, season ticket holders, ushers and everybody at the ballpark this week and what would have been opening night on Thursday.”
The New York-Penn League last week announced the season’s start would be “delayed indefinitely” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, the team is planning other activities to draw people to the ballpark this summer. The first one is Father’s Day Family Catch on the Field from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Admission is $20 per family (up to four people; $5 per additional person). Each admission includes a $10 credit to the Off the Rack Outfitters team store valid Sunday only. Parking will be in the Porter North lot with entry at Gate A. Participants must register for a half-hour timeslot and purchase their admission in advance at www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/team.asp?SponsorID=14305. The event will be free for 2020 season ticket holders, suite holders and sponsors. They can reserve their timeslot by emailing frontoffice@statecollegespikes.com.
Participants should bring their own balls and gloves and are required to wear masks upon entering and traveling around the ballpark. The field will be set up to allow for social distancing and capacity will be limited to 250 as per health guidelines.
“First and foremost, the health and safety of our fans, our staff, everybody that comes to the ballpark (is) obviously most important,” Walker said. “We are always keeping the fans at the top of our minds.”
The Spikes are also planning children’s activities as well as events that let fans reconnect with their favorite ballpark foods. Haven’t made plans for July 4? Two of the 4th Fest fireworks locations will be visible from Medlar Field, Walker said.
Walker also thanked fans for their support since the team launched Save Our Spikes in January amid reports the team was at risk of losing its major league affiliation. The “campaign was meant to really showcase how much our community cares about having an affiliated minor league baseball team here in Happy Valley,” Walker said.
“We were truly honestly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support we saw from the entire community,” he said Monday.
The team urged fans to back the club by purchasing tickets for this season’s games, and sales rose significantly, Walker said, until COVID-19 struck and shut things down. He described that time as discouraging, after all the work that went into the campaign. “I think it’s a trying time for a lot of small businesses in this country and in our community, and we’re no different,” Walker said.
Walker and communications director Joe Putnam offered some other ways for fans to support the team this summer as the campaign returns:
Walker said he’s looking forward to seeing fans back at the ballpark for Sunday’s event — “some of our friends, some of our family members, a lot of smiling faces.”
“We are focused on right now making sure that we can still provide something special for our community starting as immediately as Sunday and the rest of this summer.”
","kicker":"","text_alignment":"Left","href":"/web/v1/content/243500901","allow_ads":true,"allow_stn_player":true,"byline":"\n
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The State College Spikes will have to wait a bit longer to take the field for their 15th season.
The New York-Penn League announced Friday that the start of the season will be “delayed indefinitely” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league was scheduled to open Thursday, with the Spikes set to host the Williamsport Crosscutters.
“The league and its clubs will continue to monitor the situation and work with our Major League Baseball affiliates, while following the recommendations of public health officials and adhering to local reopening guidelines,” the NY-PL said in a statement. “As always, the health and safety of the New York-Penn League fans, players and staff members are our top priorities.”
The league also canceled its all-star game scheduled for August in Lowell, Massachusetts.
The delay adds to the uncertainty that has surrounded the Spikes since last fall. The team was reported to be among several at risk of losing their affiliation after the 2020 season. In response, the club launched the Save Our Spikes campaign in January to harness community support. The Spikes also adjusted game times and fireworks nights based on fan feedback ahead of their anniversary season. The Spikes had no comment Friday afternoon beyond the league statement.
Minor league players are waiting to find out when, and if, their season will start, as are big leaguers. In the majors, players and owners are at odds over salaries and the length of the season. Major League Baseball on Friday proposed that players receive 80% of their prorated salaries and play a 72-game schedule starting July 14, according to The Associated Press. The players on Tuesday offered to play an 89-game regular season at full prorated pay.
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Minor league baseball teams need to get creative.
Like any other business, minor league baseball is profit driven, and while other companies might pour money into advertising that makes their corporation seem more legitimate and appealing, minor league baseball tends to go in a different direction.
Whether it be changing your name to the Rumble Ponies, Muckdogs, or Yard Goats (all real names), or coming out with pop culture-related promotions completely out of left field, the family-oriented business of minor league baseball thrives off the quirkiest ideas.
The State College Spikes are no different.
“There’s a big trend with not only the Spikes but everyone around minor league baseball of coming up with fun and innovative theme nights that are sometimes at the turn of the switch,” said Joe Putnam, the Spikes’ communications manager and play-by-play announcer.
Whether it be dedicating a night to male rompers (something the Spikes did two years ago) or offering postgame entertainment that involves a man being shot out of a massive cannon (something the Spikes did last week), the Spikes have tuned into the minor league promotional zeitgeists very well.
They will continue this proud tradition on Saturday with Area 51 night, the same day as the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
This event is related to the now-viral Facebook page “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us,” which encourages people to storm the top-secret Nevada military base Area 51 en masse on Sept. 20 — with already more than 1.5 million people pledging to do so — and steal the aliens that are rumored to be captured within the base.
The satirical page prompted the Spikes to come up with a last-minute promotion, with the pop culture phenomenon giving baseball fans an opportunity to save money at the ballpark.
Sticking to the Area 51 theme, outfield bleacher seats will cost $5.10, and hot dogs will be available at a paltry 51 cents.
In addition, aliens will be hidden around the ballpark, and the Jumbotron will be playing clips from multiple alien-themed movies throughout the night.
Finally, random fans will be selected to compete in a Naruto race on the field.
Naruto is a Japanese animated character, notable for his strange running style, allowing him to run at super speeds. One of the most famous mantras of the “Storm Area 51” movement is “if we Naruto-run, we can move faster than their bullets.”
“Every now and again something comes up, and being plugged into pop culture as we are, this is something that has gone viral over the last week or so,” Putnam said. “So we decided, ‘hey, we could do some things with this and create a fun atmosphere at the ballpark as well.”
Area 51 night will be the Spikes’ first game back at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park since Monday, as they start their three-game series against the Williamsport Crosscutters.
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Mayors from across the country have launched a task force to ensure their voices are heard in the debate over the future of minor league baseball.
More than 40 clubs, including the State College Spikes, could be at risk of losing their major-league affiliations after this season.
Chattanooga, Tennessee, Mayor Andy Berke on Wednesday called the proposal “a major league error.” Berke’s city is home to the Lookouts, a Double A team affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds. The team is one of the 42 that could be affected by MLB’s plan.
“We have expressed our frustration, not only with the potential to losing our team, but also at not having been part of the process or consulted as this continues,” he said.
The new task force counted about 30 members Wednesday, including interim State College Mayor Ron Filippelli.
“I am participating because minor league teams are important contributors to affordable family entertainment and the economic vitality of the towns and cities where they exist,” he said in an email. “Also, I am a big baseball fan.”
The mayors stressed the economic and social benefits that the minor league teams bring to their communities. Lansing, Michigan, Mayor Andy Schor said his city’s Lugnuts, which are not on the cut list, presence helped spur redevelopment around the stadium. The team also provides entertainment for visitors to the capital city and a place for businesses to entertain.
“When you have players who are in town who are going out and going to our parks and helping out, that is a tremendous social benefit,” Schor said. “This is something that can be shown in economics, but the social benefit — you can’t explain it.”
Dayton, Ohio, Mayor Nan Whaley said the state’s six minor league cities play a big role in baseball’s popularity in the state, which is also home to two big league clubs.
“To have the attitude that I heard the commissioner, when the new commissioner came in, talk about how he wanted to expand baseball and to expand baseball getting to places that are harder to reach — these midsized cities are definitely that,” Whaley said.
MLB’s plan is “questionable for the future of baseball itself, but, also, it puts a really bad taste in the mouth of mayors across the country who have really invested and partnered with baseball as an opportunity for growth in our communities,” she added.
An MLB spokesperson said Wednesday that the league is “proud” of its work with mayors “to promote youth sports and grow the game of baseball.”
“Negotiations with Minor League Baseball are at a very early stage and while no one can predict what the final agreement will look like at this point, MLB’s goals of improving working conditions for Minor League players and protecting baseball in Pennsylvania and local communities across the country remain unchanged,” MLB said. “That’s why MLB has subsidized minor league operations at a rate of hundreds of millions of dollars per year over the past decade.
“It is not Major League Baseball’s goal to eliminate any club in these negotiations, and MLB currently has a plan for every club to continue operations with some level of support. Mayors who want to help improve playing conditions and player development can encourage Minor League Baseball to return to the negotiating table and commit to working in good faith toward a better, more modern working agreement for our two leagues.”
The mayors’ effort is one of several underway nationally and locally to back minor league teams. Members of Congress formed a task force in December. Last week, the Spikes launched a campaign to call for community support.
“We feel like there is plenty of opportunity for us to change the course of these discussions,” said Berke, Chattanooga’s mayor. “That’s why we’re speaking out now.”
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The State College Spikes have some changes in store for their 15th season.
General manager Scott Walker said the team is responding to fan feedback about game times. A survey showed an “overwhelming” desire to move the first pitch up by a half-hour, and the team will do that this year. Monday through Saturday home games will start at 6:35 p.m.
“The games are going longer,” Walker said. “I see so many kids on parents’ shoulders falling asleep missing the fireworks show.”
For years, fans have asked for more day games, Walker said. This season, the Spikes will oblige. The team’s first four Sunday home games will start at 4:05 p.m. The team also will move fireworks shows to Friday and Saturday nights.
The announcements were part of the launch of the #SaveOurSpikes campaign Thursday. The campaign aims to rally fan support for the team in response to Major League Baseball’s proposal that would put 42 minor league clubs — including the Spikes — in danger of losing their affiliations.
“In an effort to give back to the fans who’ve joined us for the last 14 seasons,” Walker said, outfield bleacher seats will be available for $6 — the same price as during the Spikes’ inaugural season. There will be specials during the season that cut that price in half, as well as nights with $1 bleacher seats.
The Spikes open their season at home against the Williamsport Crosscutters on June 18.
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The State College Spikes had a message for the community Thursday: We need your support.
The team unveiled the #SaveOurSpikes campaign at the Centre County Visitor Center in response to a plan to eliminate 42 minor league clubs in towns including State College. General manager Scott Walker pressed fans to visit and promote SaveOurSpikes.com, which suggests ways for fans to back the team ahead of its 15th season.
Chief among them: “Buy tickets, buy tickets, buy tickets,” said Vern Squier, CEO and president of the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County. The website also suggests that fans write their elected officials, display #SaveOurSpikes promotional items and purchase 15th season team merchandise.
State Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, called on the community to fight back against Major League Baseball’s plan. Beyond Spikes games, holding Bellefonte’s state title game at Medlar Field in 2016 was a big moment for team members and parents.
“That is what we have here,” he said. “That is what we can’t lose here.”
Fans need to make sure that MLB knows State College will support a minor league team, Corman said.
The team has improved the quality of life in the region, said Neil Weaver, executive deputy secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development. The Spikes have raised more than $5 million in donations for local community organizations, he said.
The team sells an average of 125,000 tickets each year, bringing people into the area to shop, eat and stay at local hotels, Weaver said.
“It would be a huge loss to this local economy if Major League Baseball’s proposal were to move forward,” he said.
Staffers for Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard Township, and Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, read statements in support of the Spikes. Both lawmakers signed a letter last year opposing MLB’s plan.
Former Gov. Ed Rendell said in a statement that he never would have approved $14 million in state funds for Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, which is also home to Penn State’s baseball team, if a minor league professional baseball club wasn’t “a significant user of the stadium.”
“It is a shame that a model minor league franchise such as the Spikes would ever be in danger of losing its affiliation with Major League Baseball, and I am proud to stand with my fellow Spikes fans and support the #SaveOurSpikes initiative,” he said.
Dave Bohner remembered the “incredible journey” he and his grandson, late honorary bench coach Josiah Viera, went on with the Spikes. It started with a 2013 invitation to a Spikes game. There were interactions with players, cheers, first pitches, championship rings and awards from Minor League Baseball and others.
“I believe Josiah’s legacy will live on with the State College Spikes,” Bohner said. “Our friends at the Spikes are, and forever will be, our extended family.”
Bohner wore a T-shirt Thursday bearing the last design Josiah made. It carried a message that Josiah shared with ballplayers and friends, and one that Bohner left with Spikes fans Thursday:
“Never give up.”
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A proposal to cut 42 minor league baseball teams, including the State College Spikes, is facing growing opposition.
Lawmakers on Tuesday announced the formation of the bipartisan Save Minor League Baseball Task Force. In a statement, the group said it plans to “advocate on behalf of the communities that” will be most affected by MLB’s restructuring plan and “discuss potential legislative action if and when such a remedy becomes necessary.” The task force will be co-chaired by Reps. Lori Trahan, D-Mass.; David McKinley, R-W.Va.; Max Rose, D-N.Y.; and Mike Simpson, R-Idaho.
Spikes general manager Scott Walker thanked the group for speaking out against MLB’s proposal, which would take effect in 2021.
“We are going to resist this plan and are gratified that so many in Congress are willing to join with us,” Walker said in a statement.
Both sides are expected to continue talks Friday in advance of baseball’s winter meetings next week, according to The Washington Post. The agreement between MLB and minor league teams expires after the 2020 season.
“While it is our hope to negotiate a fair agreement with MLB, the overwhelming support from elected officials on both sides of the aisle, at all levels of government, has been tremendous and shows that baseball helps to unite our nation,” Minor League Baseball officials said in a statement.
On Monday, MLB officials met with Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has criticized the plan. On Tuesday, officials met with McKinley and other House members.
“We repeatedly have stated both publicly and privately to the Minor Leagues that whatever the outcome of the negotiations, MLB will offer every community that currently hosts professional baseball options to preserve baseball in a viable, fan-friendly, compelling format with the full support of MLB,” Major League Baseball said in a statement, according to The Post.
The task force was formed weeks after more than 100 members of the House sent a letter to MLB in opposition to the proposal.
Pennsylvania officials also have spoken out this week. On Monday, Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro both sent letters to the commissioner calling on him to reconsider the plan. Teams in two other Pennsylvania cities, Erie and Williamsport, would also be cut.
“To eliminate these three Pennsylvania teams creates serious legal questions and may prompt me to take legal action to protect our communities that would be harmed,” Shapiro said in his letter to commissioner Rob Manfred. Shapiro described the teams as vital to their communities, adding that cutting the clubs would “harm the residents of their host cities with effects reverberating” across the state.
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The State College Spikes face an uncertain future, but they will be “open for business” in 2020.
The Spikes are one of 42 teams that would lose their affiliation with a major league club under a plan to restructure the minor leagues after next season.
The proposal drew attention from Congress this week, as more than 100 members of the House signed a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred voicing their “firm opposition” to the plan. Among those who signed on were Centre County’s two representatives, Glenn Thompson and Fred Keller.
Thompson, R-Howard Township, praised the Spikes for offering a family-friendly facility, benefiting the local economy and helping local charities. He has been in touch with Spikes management to offer his support for the team.
“We’re going to work together to make sure that MLB understands what restructuring the minor leagues would mean to our community,” Thompson said in a statement. “These efforts will also continue with my colleagues in Congress, to ensure MLB understands the potential impacts nationwide.”
Among the factors that were considered in deciding which teams would keep their affiliation was distance to their parent club and the condition of facilities, The New York Times reported. The Spikes are a Class A Short Season affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
“While MLB has stated publicly that among their main concerns are facility standards, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park has always been fully compliant with MLB’s standards,” the Spikes said in a statement Thursday. Negotiations between minor league baseball and MLB are in the early stages, but “we are compelled to reassure our fans and stakeholders that we are open for business for the 2020 season.”
MLB’s initial proposal, according to The Associated Press, would drop four Double-A teams: Binghamton, New York; Erie; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Jackson, Tennessee. The plan would cut 28 teams from four Class A Short Season and Rookie Advanced leagues and would reduce the minimum guaranteed affiliation agreements from 160 to 120.
Keller’s district is home to the Spikes and the Williamsport Crosscutters.
“These franchises have been great community partners, providing our region with affordable entertainment while contributing to our local economies,” Keller, R-Kreamer, said in a statement. “I’m committed to working with both Major League Baseball and the minor league teams toward a mutually beneficial agreement that ensures the continued viability of the teams.”
Along with the Spikes and Crosscutters, seven other New York-Penn League teams are targeted under MLB’s plan.
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The State College Spikes are one of 42 minor league baseball teams that could have their affiliation with a major league team severed under a new MLB proposal, according to a New York Times report.
The radical proposal would convert some teams from the lower-level minor leagues — short-season, rookie ball and lower Class A — into a Dream League of undrafted players, the NYT reported.
Teams would be co-owned and operated by MLB and MiLB, which would be a departure from the current system. The vast majority of teams are independently owned and operated.
Spikes Communications Director Joe Putnam declined to comment and referred questions to the MiLB office, which did not respond Monday.
“It would be detrimental to the community. We believe that the Happy Valley community — with a growing resident base and a growing visitor base — would be an illogical place to cut a franchise,” Happy Valley Adventure Bureau President and CEO Fritz Smith said Monday. “... A first class community should have a baseball team.”
Part of the proposal could include a plan to halve the amateur draft, which would reduce the player pool by about 600 and eliminate the need for about 20 teams, the NYT reported. The current operating agreement expires September 2020.
The Spikes averaged 123,231 fans per year during the past five seasons, according to the MiLB website.
That mark places them sixth in the 14-team New York-Penn League, trailing the Brooklyn Cyclones (200,446), Hudson Valley Renegades (152,069), Tri-City ValleyCats (143,605), Aberdeen IronBirds (132,783) and Lowell Spinners (125,196).
The Spinners and Williamsport Crosscutters are among nine NYPL teams listed in the report. The Erie SeaWolves are the only other team in Pennsylvania listed in the proposal, the report said.
“That would be a tragedy if they go in that direction,” Centre County Commissioner Mike Pipe said. “These minor league teams build communities. It’s just good, wholesome baseball. They give a lot back to the community.”
The commissioners hope MLB’s process is transparent and offers communities an opportunity to argue why their local team should keep its affiliation — something Centre County is “well-positioned” and “ready” to do, Pipe said.
Happy Valley as a “destination” and the county’s hotel tax rate — which the commissioners doubled this year to generate additional revenue — are two factors the county would lean on if given an opportunity, Pipe said.
MLB is committed to a “significant” change because officials feel about 25% of minor league teams are not operating at a high-enough standard for modern athletes, the NYT reported.
They are also insisting some minor league teams upgrade their facilities so top prospects are not working in substandard training rooms with poor nutrition programs, the NYT reported.
Medlar Field at Lubrano Park — home to the Spikes and Penn State baseball — is “fairly” new, Pipe said, and does not need large-scale renovations. The stadium opened in 2006.
The stadium is owned by the university and operated and leased by the Spikes. Penn State is aware of the proposal and has been in touch with the Spikes, university spokeswoman Lisa Powers said.
The lease is scheduled to expire September 2025, though Powers said “there has not been any discussion” with the organization about modifying its terms.
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State College Spikes players often come and go at a rapid pace, and with the players often making minimal salary, it leaves finding housing difficult.
The Spikes, just like many minor league teams across America, rely on local families to host the players. One of those hosts, Michelle Spaide, has helped an estimated 50 Spikes players — including Major Leaguers Jordan Hicks and Joely Rodriguez — adjust to life in professional baseball, and in some cases life in a new country, as a host since 2011.
“I’ve been at it for so long, since 2011 actually, so I could not even possibly imagine not having it anymore,” she said. “So for that reason, I would do it over and over again.”
Spaide, who works a full-time job at Pine Orthodontics in State College, usually has four Spikes players staying at her Walker Township home throughout the season. She houses them, cooks for them and drives them to and from Medlar Field — sometimes at a moment’s notice.
Because of her fluency in Spanish, Spaide has also become a valuable translator for the Latin American players, many of whom don’t speak any English.
“She contributes a lot, she takes care of the players, she actually teaches them skills like cooking and cleaning and things they can use further down the line,” said Terree Michel, Spikes head usher who also hosts players and coaches. “She has a huge heart, and cares a lot for them.”
This “huge heart” could be seen after a 7-2 loss to the Vermont Lake Monsters on July 31st.
While speaking with one of the players she hosts, infielder Luis Flores, Spaide found out that Dalton Roach, another one of her players, just got word he’d been promoted to the Cardinals’ Class A team, the Peoria Chiefs.
Upon hearing the news, Spaide became emotional and immediately rushed down to the locker room to greet and celebrate with him. As soon as he came out, Spaide embraced him, celebrating as though he was a member of her family, even though they had only known each other since June.
With the Spikes playing in the short season division, most of the players who come through the organization are young, and Spaide does not have any players older than 24.
Many of them are also living away from home for the first time, which means Spaide has to teach them some basic responsibilities, such as closing doors and turning off the stove.
Spaide says this is especially the case with players coming from Latin America, who not only have to deal with the language barrier, but cultural changes as well.
“The language barrier is a challenge sometimes and they don’t always understand the right way to do things, simple things like putting my dog on a leash instead of just opening the door and letting her run away,” Spaide said.
But for Spaide, these are small challenges for a job that she has done for nine years. And for the four players who live with her, the experience she gives is very rewarding.
“(The players I live with) are my brothers and this is a family to me and (Spaide) is like a mom to me,” Flores said. “We all care about each other.”
Outfielder Terry Fuller shared similar feelings.
“(Spaide) is very welcoming, she’s very helpful, and I enjoy every talk we have every night,” Fuller said. “There’s never a dull moment. It’s a great house and I couldn’t ask for a better host family.”
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State College players scored two runs, but that wasn’t enough to lead their Red team to victory in in Wednesday’s New York-Penn League All-Star Game. Five Spikes played in the game, which was won by the Blue team, 7-4, at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island, New York.
Andrew Warner, who started in left field, went 2-for-2. He also threw out a runner at second in the first inning.
A fielder’s choice from starting designated hitter Andrew Vinsky brought home teammate Martin Figueroa for the first Red run. Vinsky would later score.
Figueroa, who started at first base, grounded out and reached on an error in two plate appearances, and helped turn a double play in the second inning.
Right-hander Andre Pallante retired all three batters he faced in the fourth. He threw 16 pitches, nine for strikes, and notched one strikeout.
Reliever Hector Villalobos took the mound in the sixth. He gave up a solo home run and a walk and struck out two.
The Spikes can make their move in the playoff hunt during the next week, with games against both teams they’re chasing.
State College returned to action Thursday, with a 9-5 loss to division-leading Batavia to kick off the three-game series. The Spikes return home Sunday to face the second-place Black Bears.
The season concludes with a road series against Mahoning Valley and a three-game set against Williamsport, which includes the home finale at 6:05 p.m. Sept. 1.
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For many State College Spikes fans, Terree Michel is the first person who greets them as they walk through the gate at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
As the head usher, Michel has been involved with the Spikes in some capacity since the team’s inception in 2006. To all who have worked with Michel since, her contributions to the team’s success on and off the field are evident.
“Terree is one of those people who forms a foundation of an organization,” said Spikes play-by-play announcer Joe Putnam. “When people come to a game, the first people they see are our game day employees, ushers and ticket takers. Terree has been overseeing them since day one.”
Beyond her role as head usher, Michel has lent all other talents to the Spikes, as she also irons and sews the nameplates on the backs of jerseys for new players and fixes the mascot suits when they need mending.
“Any sewing things, I help with,” Michel said.
Michel’s propensity for customer service helps her not only in her role as an usher, but also inspired her to volunteer to host Spikes coaches at her home during the season.
The first coach Michel hosted was Darwin Marrero, who now works with the Springfield Cardinals as a pitching coach.
“(The house) was kind of chaotic at the time (when Marrero moved in). He told me about three weeks later he said to his wife that ‘this is kind of crazy here, I’m going to give it two weeks and we’ll see how it goes,’ “ she recalled. “He ended up staying with me for three years.”
Michel said she now visits Marrero every winter at his home in Tampa, Florida.
With the Spikes playing a short season, it can be difficult for staff members to form much of a bond, but Michel puts in the effort to keep the employees coming back.
Michel organizes a potluck dinner at the beginning of the year and a picnic at the end. She also tries to keep her employees enjoying their work.
“I think it’s very important from my standpoint to make sure they come back so when they come to work, I want them to have fun,” Michel said. “I want them to enjoy what they’re doing, so I make sure I do everything I possibly can to make sure they are having a good time.”
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Josiah Viera, the State College Spikes former honorary bench coach, will be given another recognition.
Josiah was named as a 2019 inductee to the New York-Penn League Hall of Fame, where his name will be next to sports legends such as Randy Johnson, John Elway, Pete Rose and Wade Boggs, the organization announced Thursday.
“As the oldest, continuously operated Class-A league in professional baseball, the list of players, coaches, field managers, general managers and owners reads like a ‘Who’s Who of Baseball,’ ” Ben Hayes, president of the New York-Penn League, said in a release. “We are proud to induct another class of extraordinary nominees.”
Josiah, who was born with Hutchison-Guilford Progeria syndrome, an extremely rare and incurable rapid-aging condition, died last Christmas Eve at age 14.
His love of baseball first brought Josiah to Medlar Field in 2012, and by 2013, the Spikes brought him in as one of their own, naming him honorary bench coach in 2014 — a position he would hold for five seasons.
Josiah had become a fixture at Spikes game, making the two-hour drive from Schuykill County with his grandfather to every home game until his death. To honor his memory, the Spikes retired Josiah’s No. 10 uniform during their home opener this year. Each player’s uniform also bears a commemorative patch with Josiah’s initials inside a baseball diamond he drew.
His induction will come a year after the 2018 NYPL All-Star Game in State College, where Josiah walked out onto the field unassisted to make the final pitching change, which would mark his last appearance at Medlar Field.
Earlier in the year, Josiah had broken his leg and was unable to walk long distances. This made his unassisted walk to the mound in front of his home fans even more special, Spikes communications manager and play-by-play announcer Joe Putnam said.
“As he walked off the mound, both teams walked up and gave him a standing ovation and the entire crowd gave him a standing ovation. There weren’t a whole lot of dry eyes in the house,” Putnam said. “It was unfortunate, but that was part of the last trip he made here to State College. So it’s part of the lasting image we have of him.”
Josiah will be inducted alongside four-time World Series champion Bernie Williams, the first African American manager in organized baseball Gene Baker, and baseball executive Jane Rogers at the 2019 New York-Penn League All-Star Game on Aug. 21 at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island, New York.
Josiah will become the first member of the Spikes to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, which was established in 2012.
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On Saturday, local youth baseball players will have the opportunity to learn from the pros.
The State College Spikes will be hosting a youth baseball clinic, where kids can learn and practice baseball with the minor league players.
Admission is free with the purchase of a ticket to the 7:05 p.m. game against the Black Bears. The two-hour clinic begins at 11 a.m. at Medlar Field and allows kids to practice with the Spikes at four different stations: pitching, base running, fielding and hitting.
“It’s an opportunity to get up close and have personal one on one time with the Spikes players, to learn from the pros and to have a fun time learning the game of baseball,” said Joe Putnam, communications manager for the Spikes. “The players, they enjoy doing it because it hearkens back to their own youth when they were learning the game.”
Holding the youth clinic allows the Spikes to go beyond being an entertainment product for central Pennsylvania, and make their mark on the community by growing the game of baseball in the area.
“Baseball talent has declined over the years,” Putnam said. “We would certainly like to reverse that trend and see more players play the game. It’s a game we love and we want to do our part to keep the game going.”
Furthermore, this clinic will give Spikes players an opportunity to connect with the Centre County community.
With the transient nature of minor league baseball, players don’t always get to know the fans and the culture of the team they’re playing for.
“We want to give our players a chance to interact with the community, as well, because so often we hear from players that they really enjoy their time playing in front of the fans,” Putnam said. “So this is a chance to meet some of their fans and make an impact in central Pa. while they’re here.”
The Spikes have held an annual clinic for young fans since the team’s inception in 2006. This year’s event will be hosted by Penn State Health Medical Group.
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On June 6, 2018, Andrew Warner thought he had his future figured out.
Warner was getting married in two days, and after the wedding he and his wife would move to Springfield, Missouri, where he would begin his career as a police officer.
Becoming a minor league baseball player and starting at right field for the State College Spikes, the Class A short-season affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, was not on his radar at the time.
Warner did have a prolific college baseball career, but he did so in the NAIA, a college sports association, below all three NCAA divisions. When it came time for the MLB draft, all 30 teams passed up on him after his junior year, when he was an NAIA first-team All-American.
He believed his time would never come.
“I didn’t think it was really going to happen, being from an NAIA school, and it doesn’t matter how good I did,” Warner said.
However, in the 40th and final round of the MLB draft his senior year, Warner got a call from the St. Louis Cardinals. We was the 1,203rd pick of the 2018 draft.
Like many 40th-round draft picks, the Spikes fan-favorite had a long road to professional baseball.
A native of Lee Summit, Missouri, outside Kansas City, Warner grew up in a baseball family. His father was his coach until his freshman year of high school.
As a standout baseball player, Warner started his college career at nearby Johnson County Community College in Kansas.
While the product on the field for Warner was good, he was running into problems off the field.
“As far as school goes I didn’t do too hot,” Warner said. “I was being dumb and didn’t focus on what was actually important — my studies. I lost that opportunity and I went to another junior college in my hometown and got serious about school work.”
After his sophomore year, he transferred to Columbia College, an NAIA school that was just starting its baseball program. Tasked with starting a program from scratch, coach Darren Munns saw Warner as one of his top targets.
“I was bringing in a full roster, and just in my recruiting I saw him play in the fall and immediately took a liking to him because he’s a hell of a player,” Munns said.
Warner made an immediate impact at Columbia College. He caught, played first base and pitched for the Cougars, becoming an NAIA first team All-American.
“On the field, he was tremendous. It doesn’t take long to see that he has great talent,” Munns said. “I’ve been doing this for 25 years and he’s as good as any hitter I’ve ever coached.”
His successful junior year was not enough for him to get drafted, but this did not stop him from working hard to perform at his best.
“A lot of guys would take a step backward and not work as hard their senior year because they were disappointed, but he was just as good if not better,” Munns said
His hard work paid off when he was drafted — with only 12 picks left.
After getting drafted, Warner, like most draft picks, started in the Gulf Coast League, the lowest division in minor league baseball.
Despite playing against top prospects and players who were drafted far ahead of him, Warner had a batting average of .341 with the Gulf Coast Cardinals, taking the League MVP with him.
“Whenever I would get frustrated, I would look at myself and think, ‘have fun while you can,’ “ Warner said. “Because a lot of the guys I played with don’t get the opportunity.”
Now at State College, Warner continues to climb with the Cardinals.
Warner still keeps in touch with Munns, and even though Munns saw the value Warner had as a player, he held Warner’s ability as a teammate in equally high regard.
“I think the greatest thing about Andrew is that he treats everybody the same,” Munns said. “It’s easy to lead when you’re that talented and obviously the best player on the team, but he treated a guy that was a role player who didn’t play very much at all just like he treated other starters in our lineup.”
Even as he’s climbing the ranks in the minor league, Warner still gets his baseball advice from a source close to home — his dad.
Warner said his father still helps him with his hitting, recently telling him to close his stance. And that advice paid off.
Shortly after taking that advice, Warner shot a 415-foot home run to straight left field on Monday night, at 109 miles per hour against Batavia at Medlar Field. That was the hardest hit ball by any Spikes player this year.
“It told me I was on the right path with the adjustments I’ve been making,” Warner said about the home run. “So hopefully I can keep doing the right thing, keep making progress.”
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Fans submitted photos of their dogs to be featured on the jersey. "}],"thumbnail":"https://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/jit/5615998023001/b96be0bf-ccc0-4c1a-8a3a-c00ee66f3316/main/480x270/21s66ms/match/image.jpg","href":"/web/v1/content/231943023","access_tags":["matbasic"],"additional_sections":["22158"],"credit":"","lead_media":{"id":"231943023","url":"https://www.centredaily.com/sports/mlb/state-college-spikes/article231943023.html","asset_type":"videoIngest","brightcove_id":"6052188388001","state":"published","title":"Spikes feature local dogs on the diamond","publication":"centredaily","layout_option":"","home":"/web/v1/sections/22158","modified_date":1562475486,"published_date":1561491859,"leadtext":[{"text":"State College Spikes are hosting 4 Bark In the Park nights this season with special jerseys that will be auctioned off to benefit local animal rescues. Fans submitted photos of their dogs to be featured on the jersey. 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Fans can bring their dogs to Medlar Field, help out local animal rescue organizations, and see the Spikes players wear jerseys covered in photos of local dogs submitted by fans.","content":"
At 6 p.m. Sunday, local baseball fans will have another chance to bring their dogs to the ballpark, as the State College Spikes will be hosting their second of four “Bark in the Park” nights.
For Bark in the Park night, dogs of all sizes will be welcomed through the gates of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, although they will only be allowed on the concourse and outfield bleachers.
During the game, the Spikes will be wearing their special Bark in the Park jersey.
The jerseys feature photos of dogs submitted by fans via email and social media. In total, there are 150 individual pictures of dogs featured on the jerseys.
The jerseys are one of the many unique uniform designs that will be featured by minor league teams this year, and the Spikes players are excited to wear them.
“Immediately they were taking pictures and putting them up on Instagram,” said Spikes play-by-play announcer Joe Putnam. “They’re fun and that’s really what it’s all about. They’re fun to wear and they break things up over the course of the season.”
The game on Sunday will be the first of a three-game series against the Batavia Muckdogs.
“Bark in the Park” is not just an evening to let dogs take in a minor league baseball game, but also an opportunity to help out local animal rescue organizations.
The proceeds from the 50/50 raffle will go to local animal rescue organizations such as PAWS of Centre County, Pets Come First and the Metzger Animal Hospital.
“We’re so glad to be able to partner with the Spikes on another great slate of Bark in the Park Nights that will feature these one-of-a-kind jerseys,” Dr. Fred Metzger, of Metzger Animal Hospital, said in a release. “This year’s Bark in the Park jerseys will also maximize the impact of these events off the field by assisting five great animal rescue organizations in our area.”
Additionally, the jerseys will be auctioned off during the season. The auctions will be taking place on the LiveSource app throughout the summer. Each players jersey will be available to purchase, with the money raised from the auction going to local animal organizations.
If you can’t make Sunday’s Bark in the Park night, there will be two more opportunities to bring your dog to the stadium — on Aug. 16 and the season finale on Sept. 1.
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With summer in full swing, the State College Spikes are looking to make an impact on the community as they close out their second full week of play.
The Spikes will be celebrating Pride Night on Friday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, commemorating national Pride Month as well as the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City.
Friday will be the first-ever Pride Night hosted by the Spikes, and to mark the occasion, the first 500 fans who enter the gates will receive a commemorative pride hat, which features a rainbow-patterned Spikes logo.
There will also be a pride parade 30 minutes before the game, which all fans in attendance are invited to join.
For the Spikes, the evening is about celebrating LGBTQA pride, as well as sending the message that everybody is welcome in the ballpark.
“The whole thing is to promote and let everybody know that Medlar Field at Lubrano Park is a place that welcomes everybody, welcomes all members of our community and is a place where everybody can come together,” said Joe Putnam, communications manager and play-by-play announcer for the Spikes. “That’s really what this is all about.”
The event has been planned in correspondence with the LGBTQA Student Resource Center at Penn State, as well as other LGBTQA organizations in the area.
Sonya Wilmoth, who is the assistant director for the Student Resource Center, will be throwing out the first pitch. She said events like these are very important for the local LGBTQA community.
“I think it’s clutch,” Wilmoth said. “There are certain spaces where LGBTQ people don’t feel safe, or don’t feel welcome, and for (the Spikes) to say they’re going to do this, I think that speaks volumes about the organization.”
While Penn State celebrates its pride month in April instead of June, as the students are not on campus, the streets of downtown State College have been lined with pride flags all month long. Both Putnam and Wilmoth said the community reaction to Pride Night has been very positive.
With Pride Nights taking place at major and minor league ballparks throughout the nation this June, Wilmoth says she hopes the event will have an impact on the players as well as the fans.
“It’s good for the athletes to see (Pride Night) too because when you start to see athletes come out and identify in the LGBTQ community they fell that what (the Spikes) are saying supporting this event is that they’re open to this as part of the people that work for us, the people that play for us,” Wilmoth said.
Pride Night will be the first game in a weekend series against the Auburn Doubledays. After that, the Spikes will spend the first week of July on the road with series against Batavia and Mahoning Valley.
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The past week was one of ups and downs for the State College Spikes.
Although the Spikes set a new franchise record for best start through the first seven games of a season with a sweep of the Crosscutters, they returned winless after a three-game series against Pirates’ affiliate Black Bears.
Now at 6-4 before heading into Tuesday’s evening’s contest against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, here’s what happened last week:
They needed an extra inning, but the Spikes outlasted the Crosscutters Tuesday in Williamsport to move to 4-0 in road contests on the season, its best road start since the club was founded in 2006.
An RBI double off the bat of shortstop Moises Castillo gave State College the one-run lead in the 10th, which Carlos Soto followed up with a double of his own to extend that lead to two.
That was not the first RBI of the night for Castillo, who earned the first RBI of his Spike career with a double in the fifth.
Pitcher Fabian Blanco then struck out three of the next four batters to close out the game.
As a staff, State College pitchers struck out 16 Williamsport batters. Of those 16, half came from starter Jacob Schlesener, who struck out five pitchers in a row.
Winning pitcher: Eli Kraus (1-1)
Losing pitcher: Alejandro Made (0-1)
Record: 4-1
After rain postponed Wednesday night’s game, the Spikes started Thursday’s “Bark n the Park Night” doubleheader with a win at Medlar Field.
After getting off to a three-run deficit in the first, the Spikes were able to score seven straight runs. Stanley Espinal kicked off the scoring with a single line drive to center field that scored two in the bottom of the first. Espinal hit an RBI single on another line drive to center field in the fourth plus a sacrifice fly in the third for four RBIs on two hits and a walk.
Espinal also made two diving catches in left field, including one for the final out of the game.
On the mound, it was starter Michael Baird who came out with the win.
After racking up a full count against the first batter of the game, The Southern Illinois product struck him out, then retired the next 10 batters. Baird recorded just a walk over four no-hit, no-run innings and recorded six strikeouts.seven straight runs that erased a 3-0 deficit.
Winning pitcher: Michael Baird (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Rafael Carvajal (0-1)
Record: 5-1
A walk-off homer by Dariel Gomez put an exclamation point on Thursday’s doubleheader at Medlar Field as the Spikes closed out the day with a three-game series sweep of the Phillies-affiliated Crosscutters.
Down by two headed into the final inning, Andrew Warner got on base on an error, and Espinal singled to bring up Gomez. In his second hit of the season, Gomez smashed the first pitch in the count into the right-field bleachers to bring in three runs.
The second game also marked the first professional hit for Brylie Ware, the St. Louis Cardinals’s 23rd-round draft pick this year out of Oklahoma. Ware went 2 for 4 at the plate, including a two-run single.
Reliever Hector Villalobos earned the win with two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh.
Winning pitcher: Hector Villalobos (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Blake Bennett (0-1)
Record: 6-1
The Spikes’ hot start to the season was stifled in West Virginia on Friday night.
Despite a 4-for-4 effort by Pedro Pages with two doubles in his second professional game and the first homer of the season for Sotos, the Spikes were unable to withstand a late surge by the Black Bears, starting in the sixth inning.
It started when West Virginia’s Brett Kinneman walked with the bases loaded for one run, then a fielder’s choice in the same frame brought in another, to bring the Black Bears within two.
A Victor Ngoepe double and a Cory Wood single tied things up for West Virginia in the seventh. The Black Bears took the lead in the eighth with ground-rule double with the bases loaded.
The Spikes started to rally in the ninth when Soto’s two-out RBI single brought State College within one, but pitcher West Virginia Cameron Junker struck out Warner for the save.
Winning pitcher: Brandon Maurer (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Eli Kraus (1-2)
Record: 6-2
The Spikes were held to their lowest offensive output of the season against West Virginia, recording just two hits at Monongalia County Ballpark on Saturday.
Former Spike Winston Nicasio, who made 16 appearances for State College in 2018 before being selected by the Pirates in last year’s Rule 5 Draft, gave up no hits over three shutout innings to earn the victory in relief. Nicasio allowed just two walks and a hit batter, while striking out three.
The lone run for the Spikes came in the third, when a Castillo single scored Martin Figueroa, who had his a one-out double off the center-field wall.
State College starter Enmanuel Solano took the loss after allowing six Black Bears runs over 5 2/3 innings.
Winning pitcher: Winston Nicasio (1-1)
Losing pitcher: Enmanuel Solano (0-1)
Record: 6-3
The Spikes would leave West Virginia winless after a big 5-0 first inning by the Black Bears put the final game of the series out of reach early on Sunday.
Gomez led the Spikes offensively, reaching base four times with a single and three walks, scoring twice.
West Virginia’s first-inning onslaught began with a two-run double from Pirates’ 2019 second-round draft pick Matt Gorski, and a two-run homer from Jared Triolo to take the lead. A hit batter with the bases loaded scored the fifth run.
Starter Schlesener took the loss for the Spikes, allowing seven runs on six hits, four walks and three hit basemen. He struck out three.
Winning pitcher: Grant Ford (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Jacob Schlesener (0-1)
Record: 6-4
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