Friday, March 7
Boiling Springs, NC
6 p.m.
Youngstown State University
at
Gardner-Webb
Photo by: Bryson Chavez
Penguins Gear Up for Three-Game Series at Gardner-Webb
3/5/2025 10:55:00 AM | Baseball
The Youngstown State baseball team (1-10) will be back on the road this weekend for a three-game series against Gardner-Webb (6-8) at Bill Masters Field in Boiling Springs, N.C. The Penguins and Runnin' Bulldogs will open the series on Friday at 6 p.m. before proceeding to play on Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
All three games of the series will be streamed live on ESPN+ while live stats will be available through links posted on YSUsports.com. Fans can also follow @YSUBaseball on X for live updates.
Youngstown State at Gardner-Webb
| Opponent | Date | Location | Video | Live Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Friday March 7 | 6 PM ET |
Bill Masters Field Boiling Springs, N.C. |
ESPN+ | Live Stats |
|
Saturday March 8 | 3 PM ET |
Bill Masters Field Boiling Springs, N.C. |
ESPN+ | Live Stats |
|
Sunday March 9 | 1 PM ET |
Bill Masters Field Boiling Springs, N.C. |
ESPN+ | Live Stats |
A Glimpse at the Guins
- Senior right-hander Jacob Gehring will take the ball in the series opener on Friday while redshirt senior right-hander JJ Tylicki is scheduled to start on Saturday. Freshman right-hander Tyler Heflin is slated to start on the mound for the Guins in the series finale on Sunday.
- Youngstown State has dropped five straight decisions after being swept in a four-game series at UTSA this past weekend. The Penguins fell 4-3 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning of Friday's series opener before falling 13-1 and 16-13 in a doubleheader on Saturday. YSU also lost a 13-2 decision in the series finale on Sunday. Friday's series opener at Gardner-Webb will mark the first-ever meeting on the diamond between the Penguins and Runnin' Bulldogs.
- Senior outfielder and Washington transfer Kyle Fossum was tied for the Horizon League lead in total hits with 16 at the outset of the week. The Seattle, Wash., native also ranked fourth in the league in batting average (.390), third in slugging percentage (.683), third in OPS (1.130), fourth in RBIs (11) and tied-for-second in home runs (3) heading into the week of action. Fossum also ranked in the top 10 in the conference in doubles (3), on-base percentage (.447) and runs scored (8).
- Junior outfielder and Nicholls transfer Brayden Kuriger batted .467 and slugged 1.000 with seven hits including two home runs in 15 at bats over five games this past week. The Gonzales, La., native totaled two doubles, two home runs, three RBIs, six runs scored, 15 total bases, four walks, a .579 on-base percentage and three stolen bases in three attempts for the week. Kuriger hit a home run at Akron on Wednesday before going 2-for-3 with a home run and three runs scored in the series opener at UTSA on Friday. He also went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
- Redshirt sophomore outfielder/first baseman Brady Shannon went yard twice in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at UTSA for his first two home runs in a Penguin uniform. The Youngstown, Ohio, native and dual-sport athlete at YSU has played in eight games and made five starts in his first action on the diamond since his freshman year at UCF in 2023. Shannon is also a quarterback on the Youngstown State football team.
- Senior right-hander Jacob Gehring leads the Penguins and ranks fourth in the Horizon League with 12 strikeouts and 14.2 innings pitched through the first three weeks of the season. The Canfield, Ohio, native allowed two runs, one of them earned, on six hits with five strikeouts over 5.1 innings in a no-decision in the series opener at UTSA on Friday.
- YSU earned its first victory of the 2025 season after an 8-5 triumph in the series finale at Abilene Christian on Feb 23. Five Penguins recorded multiple hits as YSU outhit ACU 13-3 for its first victory under new head coach Trevor Charpie.
- Freshman right-hander Tyler Heflin allowed three runs on three hits with five strikeouts over five innings in his first career start at Abilene Christian on Feb. 23. The West Chester, Ohio, native retired the side in order in three different frames as he blanked the Wildcats over the first five innings. Heflin retired the first seven batters he faced and 14 of the first 15.
- Freshman catcher Caleb Hadley hit a home run on the second pitch of his first career plate appearance in YSU's 8-5 victory on at Abilene Christian on Feb 23. The Southington, Ohio, native has made four starts behind the plate through the first three weeks of the 2025 season.
- YSU is under the direction of first-year head coach Trevor Charpie. The Anaheim Hills, Calif., native was named the 10th head coach in program history in June after serving as an assistant for the Penguins during the 2024 season. At 31 years old, Charpie is the third-youngest Division I head baseball coach in the country in 2025.
- YSU's 2025 roster features a large group of 21 newcomers as well as 19 returners from last year's team that finished as the runner-up at the 2024 Horizon League Baseball Championship. The Penguins won four games in the Horizon League Tournament for the first time since winning the championship in 2014.
Previewing Gardner-Webb
A Win on Friday Would…
- Improve YSU's record to 2-10 on the season.
- Snap a five-game losing streak.
- Be the second victory in head coach Trevor Charpie's career.
Scouting The Runnin' Bulldogs
- Gardner-Webb is 6-8 overall on the 2025 season after an 11-8 loss to East Carolina on Tuesday evening in Fayetteville, N.C. The Runnin' Bulldogs dropped two of three games at Appalachian State last weekend. GWU has earned victories over St. Bonaventure, Davidson and Mercyhurst.
- Gardner-Webb was picked third in the 2025 Big South Baseball Preseason Poll after going 22-31 overall and 9-15 in Big South play in 2024. Senior outfielders Lawson Knight and Nick Capozzi were each named to the 2025 Big South Preseason All-Conference Team. Junior right-hander Devin Pressley was also named to the Preseason All-Conference Team after leading GWU's pitching staff with six saves and registering 40 strikeouts in 28.1 innings pitched over 22 appearances in 2024.
- Senior infielder Dale Francis Jr. was batting .409 and slugging .955 while leading the Runnin' Bulldogs with 18 hits, seven home runs, 27 RBIs and 42 total bases at the outset of the week. Francis Jr. entered the week with national ranks of second in RBIs, third in home runs and 15th in total bases.
- Junior left-hander Reid Bertram owns a 1-1 record, a 6.75 ERA and 12 strikeouts in a team-high 14.2 innings pitched over three starts. Junior left-hander Jerek Hobb has a 3-0 record, a 5.40 ERA, 12 strikeouts and a .185 opponent batting average over six appearances out of the bullpen.
Series History
- Friday's series opener will mark the first-ever meeting on the diamond between Youngstown State and Gardner-Webb.
Recapping Last Week
at UTSA – Friday, Feb. 28 // L, 3-4
- Youngstown State held a 2-0 lead after five innings before UTSA rallied for a 4-3 walk-off victory in the series opener on Friday evening at Roadrunner Field in San Antonio, Texas.
- The Roadrunners took their first lead with a single tally in the bottom of the seventh to break a 2-2 tie. Brayden Kuriger belted a solo home run in the top of the ninth to even the contest again before UTSA scored on a one-out RBI single by James Taussig in the bottom half of the inning.
- Kuriger went 2-for-3 with a home run and scored all three of YSU's runs while Teddy Ruffner delivered an RBI single for the Penguins.
- YSU starter Jacob Gehring allowed two runs, one of them earned, on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks over 5.1 innings in a no-decision. Sloan Ulrich was responsible for one unearned run on two hits in two innings of relief.
- Aidan English surrendered one run and struck out a pair of batters in two thirds of an inning. English was relieved by Braden Gebhardt after issuing a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth. Back-to-back singles by UTSA loaded the bases to set up the one-out walk-off single from Taussig following a fielder's choice.
at UTSA – Saturday, March 1 (Game 1) // L, 1-13 (7 innings)
- UTSA scored multiple runs in three of the first four innings on its way to a 13-1 victory over Youngstown State in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Roadrunner Field.
- The Penguins scored their only run in the top of the seventh when Nic Goodwin reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to third on a single by Jay Wrona and scored on an RBI single from Kyle Fossum. YSU was limited to three hits, all of which came in the seventh inning. Wrona and Jed Stange-Tregear each recorded the first hit of their collegiate career.
- YSU starter JJ Tylicki took the loss after allowing nine runs on eight hits with six strikeouts over 3.1 innings. Nate Ross was responsible for three runs on two hits while Lane Rhodes surrendered one run on two hits with three punch outs over 2.1 innings of work.
at UTSA – Saturday, March 1 (Game 2) // L, 13-16
- A seven-run seventh inning lifted UTSA to a 16-13 victory over Youngstown State in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Roadrunner Field.
- The Penguins trailed 5-2 after four innings before posting six runs in the top of the fifth to gain an 8-5 lead. The Roadrunners scored the next three runs to even the score before the Guins went ahead 10-8 at the seventh inning stretch. UTSA hit three home runs including a grand slam during a seven-run seventh on the way to securing their ninth consecutive victory.
- Brayden Kuriger went 4-for-5 with two doubles while Nathan Beckley was 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and four RBIs. The Guins set new season highs as a team with 13 runs and 16 hits. Brady Shannon hit the first two home runs of his YSU career and drove in three runs. Kyle Fossum and Eli Brown added two hits and two RBIs apiece in game two as YSU outhit UTSA 16-14.
- YSU starter Brandon Mikos allowed five runs on seven hits and four walks over four innings in his first start of the season. Harun Pelja permitted three runs on two hits and four walks in two innings out of the bullpen. Mark Henderson suffered the loss after giving up three runs while Phil Brennaman was responsible for four runs on four hits.
at UTSA – Sunday, March 2 // L, 2-13 (7 innings)
- Kyle Fossum and Garrett Cutting each homered as Youngstown State fell 13-2 to UTSA in the series finale on Sunday at Roadrunner Field in San Antonio, Texas.
- The Penguins led 1-0 after Fossum's solo blast in the top of the first before the Roadrunners responded with six runs in the home half of the inning. Cutting's first homer of the season cut the deficit to 6-2 before UTSA posted three runs in the third and four in the fourth to pull away for the seven-inning victory.
- Fossum went 2-for-3 with a home run and a double to pace YSU offensively.
- YSU starter Tyler Heflin suffered the loss after allowing six runs on two hits in one inning on the mound. Braden Gebhardt surrendered seven runs, two of which were earned, on four hits over two innings out of the bullpen. Mikey Rodriques did not allow a hit over two scoreless innings while Colin Casteel tossed a scoreless sixth.
Up Next
Youngstown State will play its second midweek contest of the season and close out its early-season road stretch on Wednesday at Pitt. First pitch at Charles L. Cost Field in Pittsburgh is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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/ BaseballTuesday, February 11
Tuesday, February 11
