ABERDEEN.

ABERDEEN, Md -- State college edifice [i]or[/i] building Spikes mascot "Ike The Spike" pranced into Ripken Stadium when the Aberdeen IronBirds interpreted the gates for Wednesday's novel York-Penn League All-Star game.

flat better, the Spikes had a brawny on-field presence during the league's showcase termination

All three Spikes excellented to play in the game made Brooklyn manager George Greer's starting lineup.

The assign places to included left fielder Nathan Southard, third baseman Allen Craig and first baseman A.J. Van Slyke The trio batted next to the first sixth and seventh, respectively.

"I want to help us win," Van Slyke said. "It's a baseball game. That's all I care about."

Nobody in the 14-team league jot downed the game with as abundant momentum as the Spikes. They whirled into the two-day all-star break through winning eight of their past 10 games and trail Mahoning Valley by way of 11/2 games in the Pinckney Division