Spikes' bats stifled by Scrappers in defeat

NILES, OH - The State College Spikes were held to just two hits on Thursday night as the Mahoning Valley Scrappers dealt the Spikes their first shutout loss of the season, 2-0, at Eastwood Field.

Cesar Valera's first-inning single and Brian Vigo's double in the sixth were the only base hits for State College (6-4) after the Spikes came into the game with a .291 team batting average to lead the New York-Penn League. Vigo's hit was the first of his professional career.

State College did not have any other baserunners in the game as Luis Lugo (1-1), Trevor Frank and Manuel Carmona (1) combined on the shutout for Mahoning Valley (5-6). Lugo, who Baseball America rated as one of the top 15 prospects in the Cleveland Indians system prior to the season, retired the last 14 batters he faced after allowing the single to Valera to earn the win. The southpaw also struck out five batters, four of them looking.

Carmona tossed a perfect two innings in the eighth and ninth for the win, striking out two in the process.

Spikes starter Nick Petree (0-1) took the loss despite giving up just one run over four innings. Petree yielded a total of three hits, one walk and one hit batsman while striking out four batters.

Manuel Boscan drove in the first Mahoning Valley run with his fourth-inning single, while Claudio Bautista's solo home run to left field in the eighth inning provided insurance for the Scrappers.

Despite the loss, the Spikes held onto their Pinckney Division lead by a half-game over Jamestown and Williamsport.

The Spikes continue their road trip on Friday when they begin a three-game set with the Batavia Muckdogs (Miami Marlins) in a 7:05 p.m. matchup at Dwyer Stadium. State College will go with right-hander Andrew Pierce (0-0), the Cardinals' 2013 eighth-round draft choice out of Southern Miss, on the mound to start. Batavia will give the ball to right-hander Helpi Reyes (0-1), who pitched for the Marlins' affiliate in Jamestown each of the last two seasons.

Following the trip to Batavia, the Spikes will then head to Historic Bowman Field to play the first game of a three-game set against the Williamsport Crosscutters before returning home on Tuesday, July 2 to face the Crosscutters at 7:05 p.m.

Medlar Field at Lubrano Park will once again go to the dogs that evening as fans are invited to bring their favorite four-legged friends out to the Spikes' first "Bark in the Park" Night of the season, presented by Metzger Animal Hospital, NEWSRADIO 103 and the Centre Daily Times. Fans will be able to watch the game with their canine pals in the Outfield Bleachers as well as on the concourse. All dogs must be leashed or crated, and owners will be asked to provide their dog's vaccination records. If no records are available, owners will be required to sign a liability waiver.

The first 500 dog owners at the park will also get a cool Spikes t-shirt presented by Metzger Animal Hospital on T-Shirt Tuesday, and 16 oz. Yuengling and Yuengling Light drafts will be available for just $2.50 during the Yuengling Happy Hour from 6-7 p.m.

Tickets for next Tuesday's game, as well as every Spikes home game on the 2013 slate, are currently on sale through the Spikes Box Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person. Fans can also buy and print single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action on Friday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, at 6:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Dwyer Stadium. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by 95.3 FM 3WZ.