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Spikes take top playoff seed with 50th win

State College now to face Staten Island, Game 2 at home Thursday
September 5, 2016

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WILLIAMSPORT, PA - The State College Spikes clinched the top seed in the New York-Penn League playoffs and earned their 50th win of the season with a 4-2 victory over the Williamsport Crosscutters on Monday afternoon at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.

The Spikes (50-26) now face the Staten Island Yankees (43-31) in the best-of-three NYPL Semifinal Series starting on Wednesday, September 7. Game 1 will take place at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island, NY. The Spikes will host Game 2 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Thursday, September 8, with a start time of 7:05 p.m. Game 3 will also take place at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park if needed on Friday at 7:05 p.m.

The Hudson Valley Renegades (47-27) will face the Lowell Spinners (47-29) in the other best-of-three Semifinal Series, with the series winners meeting in the best-of-three NYPL Championship Series for the league title.

Danny Hudzina powered the State College victory in Sunday's regular season finale for both teams as he drove in each of the Spikes' runs. Hudzina started the scoring with his fourth home run of the season, a three-run blast over the left field wall in the second inning.

The third baseman, who earned the Josiah Viera Perseverance Award at the club's year-end awards ceremony on Sunday, then doubled off the left field wall in the third to extend the Spikes' lead to 4-0.

Williamsport (39-36) then bounced back with a pair of runs in the third on an Enmanuel Garcia sacrifice fly and a David Martinelli double, but could not edge any further during the game.

Four different pitchers combined on the Spikes' mound efforts. Dewin Perez started and went 2 2/3 innings in which he yielded two runs on three hits and two walks. Greg Tomchick (1-1) then took over and left the bases loaded in the third. Tomchick earned the win after allowing two hits and a walk while striking out two batters over 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Max Almonte followed Tomchick and delivered two scoreless innings before Spencer Trayner (4) picked up the save with two innings of one-hit, no-run ball. Trayner struck out one batter in the effort.

Crosscutters starter Julian Garcia (0-3), a late replacement for originally scheduled starter Adonis Medina, took the loss. Garcia gave up three runs, two of them earned, on two hits and a walk while striking out two batters.

Jeremy Martinez produced three hits, including a double, for the Spikes. Chandler Hall collected three hits for the Crosscutters as well.

Game time and starting pitchers for Wednesday's NYPL Semifinal opener against the Staten Island Yankees are still to be announced.

The Spikes are #BackInTheHunt, presented by Lion Country Kia and HRI, Inc., as they seek a second NYPL championship over the last three seasons. Thursday's home playoff game will also feature a special postseason edition of $1 Beer Thursday, presented by BIG Froggy 101. 12-oz. domestic draft beers will be available for just $1 apiece from 6-8 p.m.

In addition, college students across Central PA can enjoy even more value during every remaining Spikes home game with the College 3-2-1 Special. The College 3-2-1 Special offers any college student presenting a valid student ID at ticket and concessions windows $3 Outfield Bleacher seats or $3 off seat in any other ballpark section, excluding Pepsi Picnic Pavilion and suites, plus $2 medium sodas and $1 hot dogs all game long.

In anticipation of as many as four potential September home playoff games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, Spikes Four-Game Playoff Packs are available for purchase. Playoff Packs start as low as just $16 per seat and include a $4 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 Spikes Rally Towel while supplies last.

Fans can purchase Four-Game Playoff Packs, as well as individual tickets for Game 2 on Thursday, by visiting the Spikes Ticket Office at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, or by calling (814) 272-1711 during normal Ticket Office hours (9 a.m. to end of game on game days Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to end of game on game days Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-game days Monday-Friday).

Catch all of the postseason action on Wednesday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Health, starting before the game with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Richmond County Bank Ballpark. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by the club's flagship radio home, Newsradio 1390 WRSC, as well as the TuneIn Radio app.