Mahoning Valley took Game 1 on July 23, 4-1. Game 2 in Mahoning Valley, on July 24, was a strong pitching affair from both teams as the two offenses only combined for nine hits and three runs. Despite a 2-1 loss, Enmanuel Solano pitched well for the visiting Spikes, throwing 6 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six. Brylie Ware hit 2-for-2 in the game, the only batter with multiple hits.

State College took the lead on a two-run homer by Matt Duce, his second dinger of the year, which left through right field, scoring Terry Fuller. Duce added insult to the Scrappers’ injury in the ninth inning with a fly ball single to right that scored Moises Castillo.

State College had no rest ahead of game one with the Black Bears in Happy Valley, but proved that it was unnecessary with a 2-1 win. The game sat scoreless for five full innings before West Virginia’s William Matthiessen singled to right and scored Dean Lockery. The Black Bears would only hold the lead for one inning however as Terry Fuller walked in the bottom of the seventh, driving in Shane Benes with the bases loaded.

Fuller walked off the game as well, hitting an RBI line drive single to left field and scoring David Vinsky. Three Spikes had a multi-hit game including Fuller, who went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk. Vinsky and Pedro Pages each had two hits in the game.

On July 27, the Spikes struck first, scoring twice in the bottom of the fourth inning and never letting the lead slip away. Pages singled on a line drive to center field, scoring Moises Castillo and advancing Carlos Soto to third and Fuller to second. Brylie Ware walked with the bases loaded on a full count in the next at-bat to score Soto.

West Virginia scored a run in the top of the sixth, but State College increased its lead just two innings later. With Pages on base, Martin Figueroa hit his first home run of the season on a fly ball to center field to give State College a 4-1 win.

In Game 2, three batters had multi-hit games as well, including Castillo, Soto and Pages. Pages hit 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Castillo and Soto each hit 2-for-4 with a run.

West Virginia spoiled a State College sweep at home on Sunday with a 5-2 victory, despite only four hits for the visitors and five for the Spikes. Two runs were put on the board in the first frame following a two-run homer by Matt Gorski for West Virginia.

In the bottom of the second, Figueroa tied the game at two with his second homer of the second, and his second in two days — it drove in Andrew Warner as well as himself. The following frame, WV struck again, with an RBI triple followed by a sacrifice fly to left that scored the runner on third.

The Black Bears would go on to score once more in the top of the fifth inning and coast to victory.

The Vermont Lake Monsters arrived at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on July 30 for the start of a three-game series that closes out the seventh month of the year. The Lake Monsters had State College’s number in Game 1, scoring two runs in the first frame and never looking back. Vermont won, 9-3.

Donivan Williams reached first on a fielder’s choice play in the bottom of the second that allowed Andrew Warner to score the first run of the night for the Spikes. State College scored in the next inning as well, when Fuller walked. David Vinsky stole third on the play and came around to score on a throwing error by the Vermont catcher. The Spikes’ third run game in the bottom of the sixth, down 8-2, when Terry Fuller scored on a Matt Duce ground out to second.

Following the series with Vermont, the Spikes head to Lowell to take on the Spinners in a three-game series. Game 1, on Aug. 2, is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. while the Saturday and Sunday games are both set for a 5:05 p.m. first pitch. A trip to Auburn is up next for State College on Aug. 5 through Aug. 7. Each game against Auburn is slated to start at 7 p.m.