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State College Spikes

Spikes Game Notes

June 26, 2007 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


STATE COLLEGE SPIKES (2-5) @ BATAVIA MUCKDOGS (3-4)

Tuesday, June 26 -- 7:05 PM

Dwyer Stadium - Batavia, NY

Game #8 / Road Game # 4

LHP Tony Watson (0-0,0.00) vs. RHP Clayton Mortenson (0-0, 4.50)

TONIGHT'S STARTER: LHP Tony Watson will make his second professional start when he toes the rubber for the Spikes this evening. In his first start of the season, Watson struck out nine over his five innings of work and didn't allow a run or a hit. Watson's nine strikeouts matched a Spikes franchise high. During his junior year at Nebraska, Watson was named Second-Team All Big-12, and was a three-time Big-12 Played of the Week. He received the honor for the third time this season after a two-hit complete game, shutout against #4 Texas on April 20. In 2006 he was named 1st-team All American after going 10-2 with a 2.78 ERA. He finished his career ranked sixth on Nebraska's career list with 22 wins.

TONIGHT'S OPPONENT: RHP Clayton Mortenson, the 36th overall selection in the 2007 MLB Draft, will make the start for the Muckdogs. During his senior season at Gonzaga he went 9-2 with a 3.92 ERA and 122 strikeouts. In 16 starts, he threw six complete games and one shutout over his 119.1 innings of work. He was named a Third Team All-American following the season.

GET ON BASE, STAY ON BASE: The Spikes have struggled with the bats during the early part of the season, hitting only .229 as a team. With runners on base the team is hitting .174 (16-for-92), and with runners in scoring position the number drop even lower, as the squad is hitting .100 (5-for-50).

SPEED TRAP: Through the team's first seven games, the Spikes have stolen only one base and been caught stealing three times. They are tied for last in the league. The Auburn Doubledays stole their first base of the season yesterday in their first attempt to tie the Spikes for last in the league. Last season, Spikes OF Jim Rapoport lead the NYPL with 24 stolen bases, this year the Spikes are on pace to steal 11 bases as a team.

KAN'T MAKE KONTACT: Through the first week of the season the Spikes have struck out 59 times, the second most in the NYPL. As a team they haven't struck out less than seven times in a game this season. Last night, the Spikes struck out a season low five times, which was only the second time the team has struck out less than eight times this year.

WALKING THIS WAY: The Pittsburgh Pirates today agreed to terms with catcher Andrew Walker, the club's fifth round selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He has joined the team, but is not expected to play for a few days. Walker hit .328 (75-for-229) with 21 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs and 58 RBI in 60 games as a junior this year at Texas Christian University. Andrew was also a two-time first-team Mountain West Conference performer at Texas Christian. For his career, he appeared in 166 games and made 157 starts. A career .315 hitter, Walker collected 45 doubles, slugged 32 home runs and drove in 138 runs. Defensively, he posted a .993 fielding percentage behind the plate during his-three-year career at TCU. The Pirates have now agreed to terms with 24 of their 50 draft picks.

SMELIN WHAT THE SPIKES ARE COOKIN: Through the first week of the season IF Smelin Perez has been one of the few bright spots in the Spikes lineup. Perez either leads the team or is tied for the team lead in batting average, doubles, triples, home runs, and RBI. Perez also ranks among the league leaders in numerous categories including batting average (9th), slugging percentage (3rd), extra-base hits (3rd), and triples (1st).

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