The Youngstown State baseball team showed fight throughout the day but dropped both games of a Horizon League doubleheader against Wright State on Saturday at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio. The Raiders used a four-run seventh inning to win a 9-5 decision in game one before holding on for a 10-9 victory in the nightcap and series finale.
Youngstown State falls to 4-22 overall and 2-7 in Horizon League play while Wright State improves to 14-11 and 8-1 in league action.
Game 1 Recap
Wright State struck for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 5-5 tie and defeat the Youngstown State baseball team 9-5 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Nischwitz Stadium.
The Penguins held leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 in a back-and-forth affair before the Raiders scored four times during a decisive seventh-inning rally and held on to secure the series victory.
Tommy Rover hit his third home run of the season and drove in two runs while Kyle Fossum had two hits including an RBI double. Nathan Beckley and Garrett Cutting added two hits apiece while Jay Wrona recorded an RBI single, two walks and a run scored.
YSU starter JJ Tylicki allowed four runs on four hits with five strikeouts and five walks over five innings in a no-decision. Sloan Ulrich took the loss after surrendering three runs on four hits in 1.2 innings while a pair of runs in the seventh went on Aidan English's record.
The Penguins went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning when Rover hit his third home run of the season to left field.
The Raiders responded with two runs in the bottom of the second to take 2-1 edge. Cam Gilkerson hit a one-out single and Braylen Blomquist walked to set up a two-out, two-run double by Will Cook.
Youngstown State answered with two runs of its own in the top of the third to go back in front 3-2. Wrona drew a leadoff walk and scored on Fossum's RBI double while Beckley plated Fossum with a two-out RBI single.
Wright State evened the score at 3-3 in the home half of the third when Boston Smith hit a solo home run to lead off the inning. The Raiders regained a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth when JP Peltier drew a bases-loaded walk.
The lead changed hands again when the Penguins scored twice in the top of the sixth inning. Brady Shannon drew a leadoff walk and scored on Wrona's RBI single while Cutting singled and scored when Rover drew a bases-loaded walk.
Wright State evened the score at 5-5 by posting a single tally in the bottom of the sixth. Blomquist reached on an infield single and scored from third on a two-out infield single from Smith.
The Raiders took a 9-5 advantage with four runs on two hits in the bottom of the seventh inning. Peltier hit a solo home run, Blomquist was hit by a pitch and scored on a wild pitch and Dane Thomas delivered a two-out, two-run single for the final margin.
Wright State starter Cam Allen allowed five runs on five hits and four walks over 5.1 innings. Chet Lax earned the victory after tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief while Max Whitsell pitched a scoreless ninth for the Raiders.
Game 2 Recap
Wright State outslugged the Youngstown State baseball team for a 10-9 victory in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at Nischwitz Stadium.
The Raiders led 7-4 after two innings and 10-7 after five frames. The Penguins continued to battle with single tallies in the sixth and the ninth but came up short as the Raiders completed the three-game series sweep.
Shannon went 2-for-4 with his sixth home run of the season while Rover, Smith and Jack Johnson added two hits apiece for the Penguins, who were outhit 12-11.
YSU starter Tyler Heflin suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on five hits in 1.1 innings. Phil Brennaman surrendered three runs with a season-high six strikeouts over a season-high 3.2 innings on the mound while Colin Casteel tossed 2.1 scoreless innings.
The Penguins took an early lead with four runs on four hits in the top of the first inning. Fossum singled and scored on an RBI triple from Rover. Beckley plated Rover with an RBI groundout while Johnson delivered a two-run single.
The Raiders answered with a five-run home half of the first inning to take a 5-4 lead. Smith drew a leadoff walk and scored on Peltier's RBI single. Hunter Warren singled and scored along with Peltier when Nate Manley reached on an error. Blomquist added a two-run double to put Wright State in front.
The Raiders increased their lead to 7-4 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Smith hit a leadoff triple and Warren followed with an RBI single. Gilkerson brought home Warren with a two-out RBI double to give Wright State a three-run advantage.
Youngstown State posted a single run in the top of the third to pull within 7-5. Smith hit a leadoff single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Wrona. The Penguins recorded another single tally in the top of the fourth as Fossum drew a leadoff walk and scored on a sacrifice fly from Smith.
Patrick Fultz's solo home run in the bottom of the fourth pushed Wright State's lead to 8-6.
YSU pulled within a run again in the top of the fifth as Johnson drew a one-out walk and scored when Rover reached on a fielding error.
The Raiders scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to take a 10-7 edge. Gilkerson hit a leadoff single and came around to score on a wild pitch before a two-out RBI triple from Thomas.
Shannon hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to cut YSU's deficit to 10-8. Eli Brown delivered an RBI double in the top of the ninth for the game's final run.
WSU starter Jarrett Heilman permitted five runs on six hits and five walks over three innings. Malachi Paplanus picked up the win after allowing one run over two innings while Garrett Peters recorded the final seven outs for the Raiders to earn the save.
The Penguins will return home to Eastwood Field on Tuesday to host Toledo in a non-conference contest at 5 p.m. Live audio will be available at YSNLive.com.
