Spikes earn division title with win over Jammers

JAMESTOWN, NY - The State College Spikes earned their second consecutive New York-Penn League Pinckney Division championship with a 7-3 victory over the Jamestown Jammers on Saturday night at Russell Diethrick Park.

With the win, the Spikes (41-26) become the first team in the NYPL to clinch a berth in the New York-Penn League playoffs, which will begin on Wednesday, September 3.

Jake Stone propelled the State College offense in the division-clinching game, driving in five runs. Stone smashed a three-run homer to left-center field in the third inning to extend the Spikes' lead to 5-0, and then added a two-run double in the fourth. Stone and Nick Thompson, who contributed an RBI double in the first, are now both tied for the team lead in runs batted in with 38.

Danny Diekroeger also extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a third-inning single. Diekroeger's string is just one game shy of the club record of 18 games, set by Brian Friday in 2007.

Robelys Reyes also brought in a run with a first-inning single as State College scored twice in the opening frame to establish a lead that they would not relinquish.

Will Anderson (6-2) turned in another quality start for his sixth win of the year as he yielded three runs on five hits and two walks over six-plus innings of work. Jeff Rauh took over in the seventh and pitched two frames without allowing a run. Kyle Grana then struck out two and elicited the final out, an Elvis Escobar popout to Spikes third baseman Danny Diekroeger, in the ninth.

Jamestown (30-35) surged for three runs in the seventh to snap a 15-inning scoreless streak as former Spike Francisco Aponte doubled to plate two runners and scored himself on Deybi Garcia's double one batter later. However, the Jammers would not mount any more offense.

Starter Austin Coley (0-2) went just one inning on the mound for the Jammers, but took the loss after yielding the Spikes' first two runs on two hits and two walks.

Chase Simpson was the only Jamestown player with multiple hits and notched a double to start the seventh-inning rally.

Sunday, the Spikes will finish their three-game series at Russell Diethrick Park with a 4:05 p.m. matinee against the Jammers. State College will have right-hander Fernando Baez (2-1) on the mound to face Jamestown right-hander Tyler Eppler (1-2).

The Spikes will then head to Mahoning Valley on Monday and Tuesday to finish their five-game road series.

Following the road trip, the Spikes will begin a four-game homestand, the last of the 2014 regular season, on Wednesday, August 27. The homestand will run until Saturday, August 30, and include the Coach Franklin Bobblehead Giveaway to the first 1,000 fans on Thursday, August 28, presented by The Nittany Lion Inn & The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel and ESPN Radio 1450, as well as a pair of FIREWORKS shows.

Tickets for the final four home dates remaining on the Spikes' 2014 regular season home 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.

In addition, fans can purchase Four-Game Playoff Packs in anticipation of potential Spikes home games during the 2014 NYPL playoffs. Four-Game Playoff Packs start as low as just $16 per seat and include a $2 per game savings off the single-game price. In addition, each seat purchased as part of a Four-Game Playoff Pack will come with a free, limited edition 2014 Spikes playoff t-shirt while supplies last.

Four-Game Playoff Packs can be purchased at the Spikes Box Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person. Fans will also have the opportunity to reserve their Playoff Packs online at State College Spikes.com in the near future.

Catch all of the action on Sunday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, at 3:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Russell Diethrick Park. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by 95.3 FM 3WZ, and on the 3WZ mobile apps, available on Google Play and the App Store.