Spikes bested by Scrappers, 5-1, on Monday

NILES, OH - Caleb Lopes delivered pair of hits for the State College Spikes, but the Spikes dropped the rubber match of a three-game series to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, 5-1, on Monday night at Eastwood Field.
Lopes, who started at shortstop, singled in the third and doubled in the eighth for his first multi-hit game with State College (4-4). The Mobile, AL native also scored the Spikes' lone run.

Joshua Lopez doubled for the Spikes as well, putting his batting average at a league-leading .571.
Mahoning Valley (5-3) took the lead with a pair of runs in the third on Nolan Jones 's RBI single and a Jonathan Laureano sacrifice fly. Laureano's fly ball turned into a double play when Ricardo Bautista threw out Ulysses Cantu at third trying to tag up.
Cantu would homer to lead off the Scrappers fifth, though, and Jason Rodriguez doubled in another run in the same frame. Mahoning Valley would also score in the sixth on a Cantu single.
State College starter Jonathon Mulford (0-2) took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits and three walks over four innings. Mulford also recorded five strikeouts.
Felix Tati (1-1) started and picked up the win for the Scrappers with five scoreless innings on the mound. Tati allowed three hits and a walk while striking out five batters.
Cantu and Samad Taylor each produced three-hit games at the plate for Mahoning Valley.
After an off day on Tuesday, the Spikes return home on Wednesday to start a six-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series against the Auburn Doubledays (Washington Nationals). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., with State College right-hander Anthony Shew (1-0) facing Auburn left-hander Yonathan Ramirez (1-0) in the mound matchup.
Join the Spikes in paying tribute to the latest in men's fashion with the Salute to the "Romp-him" on a Half-Craft Wednesday, presented by 93.7 THE BUS.
The fun continues with $1 Beer Thursday, presented by BIG Froggy 101, on June 29, and then the return of Bellies & Baseball Night with a 2016 NYPL Championship Fleece Blanket Giveaway presented by the Pregnancy Resource Clinic on Friday. Pregnant ladies and their supporters can enjoy a $3 Bullpen Box ticket offer by using the promo code "YOUMATTER" on State College Spikes.com or at the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Ticket Office.
Plus, expecting women using the promo code can throw out a first pitch at the game, local resource providers will be at the game to provide information on pregnancy, parenting and more, and craving stations will be at the ballpark just in case the urge strikes during the game. In addition, the Spikes will be featuring baby races, and any pregnant woman at Friday night's game that goes into labor gets free Spikes season tickets for life.
The Batavia Muckdogs (Miami Marlins) then come to town for the second half of the homestand, featuring the Youth Baseball Clinic, presented by Penn State Health, on Saturday, July 1, the second Bark in the Park, presented by Metzger Animal Hospital and NEWSRADIO 1390 WRSC on Sunday, July 2, and the return of the Human Cannonball, presented by Happy 103, on Monday, July 3.
Tickets for each of the six games, as well as every game on the Spikes' 2017 home schedule, are currently on sale through the Spikes Ticket Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person. Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
Catch all of the action on Wednesday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Health, at 6:35 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. 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.