Paige's slam extends FIREWORKS preview in Spikes win

Marques Paige (right), seen here getting a high-five from third-base coach Jermaine Mitchell after a homer at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park earlier this season, hit a grand slam on Wednesday to power the Spikes' win at Mahoning Valley. (Steve Manuel)

July 21, 2021

BOX SCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY (via PitchAware) NILES, Ohio – The State College Spikes decided to extend their preview of FIREWORKS From the Field, coming this Friday and Saturday, as Marques Paige’s grand slam led another offensive onslaught in a 10-3 victory over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Wednesday night at Eastwood Field.

BOX SCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY (via PitchAware)

NILES, Ohio – The State College Spikes decided to extend their preview of FIREWORKS From the Field, coming this Friday and Saturday, as Marques Paige’s grand slam led another offensive onslaught in a 10-3 victory over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Wednesday night at Eastwood Field.

Paige’s slam, his fifth home run of the Major League Baseball Draft League season, came on a 3-1 pitch from Mahoning Valley (19-23) starter John Medich (0-1), and rocketed out of the ballpark at 104 miles per hour. The dinger capped off a six-run third for the Spikes, following RBI singles from Trent Lewis and Brady Brecklin.

The grand slam was the 16th in Spikes (19-24) history, and the first in the club’s MLB Draft League era. Paige added his name to a list that includes four major leaguers – Alex Dickerson, David Washington, Andy Young and Lars Nootbaar.

State College starter Dalton Oates (1-0), a Shippensburg product making his first start in the MLB Draft League, logged a quality start for the win. Oates, whose last college action came in 2019, yielded three runs on four hits over six innings of work and struck out five batters in the process.

Zacchaeus Rasberry, a Presbyterian product playing his second game for the Spikes, also drove the State College offense with three hits, including a double, and two runs batted in. Rasberry also stole a base, scored a run and was hit by a pitch. Cy Kerber reached base three times with a single and two runs while also driving in a run for the Spikes.

Medich took the loss for the Scrappers after giving up six runs on a total of five hits, three walks and a hit batsman.

Jason Hinchman’s three-run homer in the sixth off of Oates resulted in the only tallies for the Scrappers, who took their seventh straight loss.

Thursday, the Spikes seek the sweep over the Scrappers in the finale of their three-game series at Eastwood Field. Right-hander Jason Alvarez (0-0) is tentatively scheduled to make his second start for State College, while Mahoning Valley has yet to determine its starter on the mound for the 7:05 p.m. matchup.

Following the road trip, the Spikes return home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to take on the Williamsport Crosscutters. Spikes fans will have the chance to carry the spirit of a historic, record-breaking Fourth of July forward with FIREWORKS From the Field and a $4 ticket discount to all remaining Spikes home games with a Fourth of July ticket.

Starting with a FIREWORKS Weekend that features back-to-back shows on Friday, July 23 and Saturday, July 24, all fans are invited to come down onto the field for an unprecedented view of the five remaining newly enhanced and lengthened FIREWORKS shows from the Spikes and their official FIREWORKS provider, Starfire Corporation.

Additionally, fans who were part of the historic, record crowd of 7,183 on July 4 can relive that spirit with a $4 ticket discount for all ten remaining home games. The $4 discount, which excludes seats in the Geisinger Champions Club and Pepsi Picnic Pavilion, can be claimed by presenting a digital or printed ticket from the Spikes’ Fourth of July game at the Spikes Ticket Office.

Tickets for all five remaining FIREWORKS From the Field dates starting on Friday, as well as every game remaining on the 2021 home schedule, are currently on sale through the Spikes Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting the Ticket Office in person from 9 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-gamedays Monday through Friday.

Fans can also buy and download 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, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics, starting with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. 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.