JUNE 17, 2011
WWW.CENTRECOUNTYGAZETTE.COM
SPIKES JUNE 19 HOME OPENER PACKED WITH FESTIVITIES
Local Bands, Skydivers, Limos, Talor Battle and More On Tap for Spikes Opener STATE COLLEGE, PA – Central PA’s Best Family Value, the State College Spikes, will open their 38-game summer home schedule on Sunday, June 19 with a bevy of pre-game activities, special events and great promotions for the entire family. The Spikes’ 6:05 p.m. Home Opener against the rival Williamsport Crosscutters (Philadelphia Phillies’ affiliate) will be presented by PSECU and 95.3 FM 3WZ and comes after a pair of season-opening road games in Williamsport on the 17th and 18th. Gates will open to the general public at 3:30 p.m., giving fans an extended opportunity to experience the many fun, family activities and pageantry Opening Night will offer at the ballpark. As gates open, the first 3,000 fans will be greeted with free Spikes Schedule Magnets compliments of PSECU. Fans will also be entertained by internet sensation “Bob the Bicycle Man” on the main concourse, and those arriving early can watch Spikes batting and infield practice. From 3:30 to 5:10 p.m., a pair of popular area bands will perform live. The Zak Sobel Band, which recently opened for O.A.R. and Lupe Fiasco at Penn State’s ‘Moving On’ concert, will play from 3:30 to 4:15. Then, another local favorite, Low Jack, will play from 4:15 to 5:10. As first pitch time approaches on Opening Night, the focus will turn to the skies above Medlar Field at Lubrano Park as Sky Dive Happy Valley will drop into the ballpark from 10,000 feet to deliver the ceremonial first pitch ball to former Penn State basketball star Talor Battle. Battle, an All-American selection who led the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten Tournament championship game and an NCAA Tournament appearance in March, will also be participating in an on-field event during the game, and will sign free autographs and take pictures between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. on the ballpark’s main concourse. Spikes players and coaches will also be participating in a unique, first-of-itskind introduction ceremony with the help of limousines courtesy of Fullington Bus Company. Limousines will transport starting
and reserve players onto the field for a special introduction prior to taking the field. The National Anthem will be performed by “Happy Valley’s Got Talent” winner Riley Roth and the United States Air Force Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, Nittany Composite Squadron will present our nation’s colors. Plenty of activities will also take place after the game, including the first of 12 spectacular Post-Game Fireworks shows. In addition, all kids 12 and under will be invited to run the bases after the game, as they will be following all Spikes weekend home games thanks to Clinical Outcomes Group, Inc. Opening Day is the first of four straight home games to open the Spikes’ 2011 home schedule. On Monday, June 20th, the Auburn Doubledays (Washington Nationals’ affiliate) come to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for the first of three straight 7:05 p.m. first pitches. The series opener will feature Bark in the Park Night presented by Metzger Animal Hospital, in which fans are invited to bring their dogs to the ballpark. Monday is also the first Dollar Dog Monday of the season, presented by 95.3 FM 3WZ. Tuesday the 21st, the first 1,000 fans through the gates will take home a Nittany Bank Nookie Monster Bobblehead Doll and it’s the first Buck Bleacher Tuesday of the season. All Outfield Bleacher seats will cost just one dollar for the middle game of the series. The series will wrap on Wednesday the 22nd with the first Half-Price Wednesday presented by Big Froggy 101. That night will also feature the first-ever Wise Cracker’s Comedy Night, including live performances by comedians throughout the game. Single-game tickets for the four Opening Week games and all 38 Spikes regular season home games are currently on sale through the Spikes Box Office by calling (814) 272-1711, or by visiting in person weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fans can also buy and print single-game tickets at www.statecollegespikes.com. -FEAR THE DEER-
Top Prospect Stetson Allie Headlines Spikes’ Initial 2011 Roster
Eight Players to Return to State College from Club’s 2010 Edition STATE COLLEGE, PA – Top Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect and 2010 second round draft selection Stetson Allie is among the initial roster of 26 players who will join the State College Spikes for a three-day minicamp which opens Tuesday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The team will be preparing for Friday’s Season Opener in Williamsport and Sunday’s Home Opener in State College. Allie, who spent the final three weeks of last season working out with the Spikes without seeing the field during a game, was the second-round pick of the Pirates out of St. Edward High School in Ohio last year. Already ranked as the thirdbest prospect in the Pittsburgh organization by Baseball America prior to the season, Allie is rated as having the best slider in the system as well. Nick Kingham, the Pirates’ fourth-round draft pick in 2010, will be joining Allie in State College. Kingham, who was selected out of Sierra Vista High School in Nevada by Pittsburgh, made his pro debut with the Gulf Coast League Pirates last season, pitching three scoreless innings over two appearances. The initial 26-man roster also includes a number of familiar faces for Spikes fans, as in addition to Allie, seven other returnees will appear for the Spikes in 2011. Right-hander Mitch Fienemann, who was one of the first two Australian players in franchise history last season, will join fellow righty Vince Payne and lefties Joely Rodriguez and Justin Ennis as holdovers from last season’s pitching staff. Catcher Matt Skirving, infielder Walker Gourley and outfielder Justin Bencsko are the position players coming back to State College this year. The Spikes will also welcome what has become the usual mix of international players to the team this week. After opening up last season with players from seven different countries, fans will see the first ever Spike from the burgeoning baseball hotbed of Curucao, as infielder Michaelangel Trinidad hits the field for the mini-camp. Panamanian infielder Jorge Bishop and Venezuelan outfielder Exicardo Cayones are also on the roster, as are six Dominican players. In addition to Rodriguez, pitchers Fraylin Campos, Emmanuel De
Local Sports Fans, Parents and Athletes!!
Leon, and Joan Montero will also be donning Spikes uniforms this week, as will catcher Samuel Gonzalez and infielder Jesus Brito. Four players who were drafted just last week will also make the professional debuts in a State College uniform. Pitcher Matt Benedict from Western Carolina (30th round), catcher Derek Trent from East Tennessee State (31st round), infielder Brian Sharp from California Baptist (24th round) and infielder Kirk Singer from Long Beach State (29th round) enter the mini-camp as newly minted Pirates prospects. Rounding out the roster are pitchers Cliff Archibald, Ryan Hafner, Kevin Kleis and Bryce Weidman, as well as outfielder Wes Freeman. The Spikes will work out at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in afternoon sessions on Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15 before Media Day on Thursday, June 16. Fans can then greet the 2011 Spikes at the “Meet the Spikes” event on Thursday, June 16 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Gates open at 4:45 p.m., and admission, parking, autographs and all other activities will be free. The team will hold its first public workout from 6:30 to 8 p.m., giving fans a chance to see the newest edition of the squad take batting and infield practice. After Friday and Saturday games at Williamsport to open the New York-Penn League regular season, the Spikes will play their Home Opener on Sunday, June 19 against Williamsport at 6:05 p.m. Ballpark gates will open at 3:30 p.m. and a bevy of pre-game activities, special events and great promotions will highlight the evening, including a ceremonial first pitch and autograph session with former Penn State basketball star Talor Battle, post-game fireworks and more! Great seats remain for Spikes Opening Week, which continues after the Home Opener on Monday the 20th, Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd with a trio of 7:05 p.m. games against the Auburn Doubledays (Washington Nationals’ affiliate). Fans can purchase Opening Week tickets, or seats to any of the Spikes 38 regular season home games, by calling (814) 272-1711, by stopping at the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Box Office, or by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.
Gordon one win closer to Top 3 All-Time By Matt Masullo With 19 laps remaining, Jeff Gordon took a lead that he would not relinquish, as he picked up his second win of the season, and 84th win all-time to take the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway. The win at Pocono tied Bill Elliot for the most wins at the 2 ½ mile track with five and tied Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for third all-time in the Nascar Sprint Cup Series. With his next win,
Attention
Just a reminder that with the all the sports going on in the county, it’s especially important that I get the input of all of you as I am bound to miss many of those who are deserving of recognition in their respective sports. No sport should go unnoticed or worse yet, unplayed. You can even submit your own name and deny it to your friends and teammates. Please feel free to contact me at my email address: sports@ centrecountygazette.com regarding your sports story as well as a phone number where you can be reached if needed. You can also post your ideas for a story or a recap of your game on the Centre County Sports page on Facebook. In order to make the Centre County Gazette the paper of the people, I need you, the people to provide the best sports coverage around. Good luck to all you in your respective sports. Hopefully I will run into you at a sporting event sometime and it will be you I will be covering. — Les Barnhart, Sports Editor
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he will be in sole possession of third place on the all-time wins list. Kurt Busch finished second, followed by his brother Kyle (whose car failed a post race inspection) Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick. The Sprint Cup Series heads to Michigan this weekend for the Heluva Good Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
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