BATAVIA, N.Y. – Ricardo Bautista collected three hits and three runs batted in, and the State College Spikes used a six-run third to propel them to a 10-3 win over the Batavia Muckdogs that clinched a three-game series sweep on Friday night at Dwyer Stadium.
Bautista produced a pair of doubles on the evening to key the Spikes’ (5-3) offense, including a two-run ground-rule double as part of the third-inning surge. State College also took advantage of four Batavia (0-8) errors, two in the third, to help the offensive effort.
The Spikes produced 29 runs over the three-game sweep, allowing just eight in the process.
Vince Jackson and Jeremy Martinez also knocked in runs during the six-run ouburst in the third, and Anthony Ray finished the inning’s damage with an RBI bunt single. Ray also drove in a run with a fifth-inning single to left.
Bautista produced his third run with a single in the sixth, and Danny Martin capped the scoring with a double in the seventh.
Batavia struck first with Jhonny Santos’s run-scoring groundout in the first, but could only produce two more runs in the sixth. After a wild pitch scored one run, Isaiah White delivered the other with a single.
State College starter Steven Farinaro (1-0) earned the win with six innings on the hill in which he allowed three runs, one of them earned, on five hits and two walks. Farinaro also struck out one batter and hit one in the effort.
Bob Wheatley (1) finished the game with three scoreless innings of work for the automatic save. Wheatley, whose brother Brent joined the Muckdogs on Friday after being drafted by the Marlins out of USC in the 17th round two weeks ago, gave up two hits and a walk while striking out two batters.
Muckdogs starter Jordan Holloway (0-1) took the loss after being tagged with all six runs, four of them earned, in the third. Holloway hurled a total of 2 1/3 innings, yielding five hits and three walks while striking out two batters.
The Spikes now head south to Monongalia County Ballpark to start the second half of their road trip on Saturday against the West Virginia Black Bears (Pittsburgh Pirates). Right-hander Ronnie Williams (0-1), rated the 20th-best prospect in the Cardinals system by MLBPipeline.com prior to the New York-Penn League season, gets the ball for State College in the 7:05 p.m. matchup. West Virginia will send right-hander Ryan Anderson (0-0) to the mound for his professional debut in the opener of the three-game set.
Following the road trip, the Spikes will return home on Tuesday, June 28 for a six-game homestand at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, starting with $2 Walking Taco Tuesday, presented by B94.5, along with Bellies and Baseball Night, presented by Pregnancy Resource Clinic.
The fun continues with the debut of Half-Craft Wednesday presented by 93.7 The BUS with half-price craft beers from 6-8 p.m. on June 29, and then the first Bark in the Park Night of the year, presented by Metzger Animal Hospital and NEWSRADIO 1390 WRSC, along with $1 Beer Thursday, presented by BIG Froggy 101 on Thursday, June 30.
Fullington Bus Company presents the action on Friday, July 1, when the first 1,000 fans will receive a Team Poster Giveaway, and all fans can participate in a Team Autograph Session with the players from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, July 2, the first 1,000 fans will receive a Cowboy Monkey Rodeo Poster Giveaway, presented by Boyles Insurance, in preparation for the return of the Cowboy Monkey Rodeo on July 16.
The homestand then finishes with a bang on Sunday, July 3 as David “The Bullet” Smith, Jr. brings his record-breaking Human Cannonball act to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Best Line Powersports, home of the new Indian Motorcycle of State College, presents this one-of-a-kind event, with a post-game “Blast-Off.” The night will also be capped off with the launch of a fantastic FIREWORKS show, presented by the PA Lottery.
Game times will be 7:05 p.m. for all nights except Sunday, July 3, when it will be a 6:05 p.m. start.
Tickets to these games, as well as every game remaining on the Spikes’ 2016 home schedule, are currently on sale through the Spikes Box 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 Saturday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Health, at 6:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Monongalia County 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.
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