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NILES, Ohio - Tyree Reed etched his name into the State College Spikes record books by homering twice in the same game and Justin Journette started the home run party going for the Spikes, but the Mahoning Valley Scrappers used a big inning to top the Spikes, 12-7, on Wednesday night at 7/17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood.
Reed, an outfielder from Jackson State, began his barrage with a 379-foot, two-run shot to left-center field in the third inning. The Vallejo, Calif. native then followed it up by blasting a 421-foot, two-run dinger to center field in the eighth.
With his pair of homers, Reed joins major leaguers such as Harrison Bader, Matt Curry, Mark Haimlton and Rowan Wick on the list of Spikes (0-2) to have homered twice in the same game, and became the first State College player since Aden Howard on July 4, 2023 in Williamsport to accomplish the feat.
Journette, a Norfolk State product, started the proceedings with a laser that left the bat at 109 miles per hour and flew over the short four-foot-high wall in front of the Spikes' bullpen in the left field corner for a two-run homer.
However, Mahoning Valley (2-0) plated nine runs in the sixth inning, with Jack Cannon's grand slam to the right-field bullpen serving as the centerpiece, to take a lead they would not relinquish.
Scrappers reliever Samuel Round (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, notching three of Mahoning Valley's 13 strikeouts. Spikes reliever AJ Rogers (0-1) took the loss after recording one out in the sixth.