Dayton, Ohio -- Wright State scored eight runs in the first inning and went on to defeat the Youngstown State baseball team 12-2 on Thursday in the winner's bracket of the 2024 Horizon League Baseball Championship at Nischwitz Stadium.
After winning their opening-round game against third-seeded Oakland on Wednesday, the Penguins now move into the loser's bracket to face fifth-seeded Purdue Fort Wayne in an elimination game Thursday night at approximately 7 p.m. ET.
Trey Law went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI single while RJ Sherwood recorded an RBI triple and scored a run.
YSU starter Braden Gebhardt suffered the loss after allowing eight runs, four of them earned, on five hits in two-thirds of an inning. Aidan English provided 4.1 strong innings of relief as he allowed one run on three hits with a career-high six strikeouts in his longest outing of the season. Colin Casteel was responsible for two runs in one inning while Lane Rhodes surrendered a single run in two innings of work.
The Raiders built an early advantage with eight runs on five hits in the home half of the first inning. Julian Greenwell drew a leadoff walk, Sammy Sass singled and Jay Luikart walked to load the bases with nobody out. Ben Vore drove in the first runs of the game with a two-run double down the left field line and Luikart scored when Andrew Patrick reached on a fielding error. Patrick Fultz delivered a two-run single before Greenwell's RBI single gave the Raiders a 6-0 edge. The final two runs of Wright State's rally were unearned as two baserunners raced home on YSU's second error of the inning.
The Penguins got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning to shave the Raiders' lead to 8-2. Chase Franken drew a one-out walk and scored on an RBI triple by Sherwood before Law brought Sherwood home with an RBI single.
YSU's deficit remained at six runs until Wright State struck for three runs in the sixth to increase its lead to 11-2. Boston Smith hit a leadoff single and Patrick was by a pitch before Fultz moved both runners up 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt. After Luke Arnold walked, Gus Gregory plated two runs with a single to right center and Arnold was able to score following a throwing error when Gregory stole second. Smith hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to produce the final margin.
Wright State starter Jake Shirk allowed two runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts over seven innings to earn the victory while Wes Earles tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
Gregory went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to pace the Raiders offensively as the top-seeded team in the tournament outhit the Penguins 11-7.
The Penguins will attempt to fight off elimination against fifth-seeded Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday evening at approximately 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and YSNLive.com.
