The Youngstown State baseball team (3-17, 1-2 HL) is scheduled to play mid-week non-conference contests against Eastern Michigan (6-17, 2-7 MAC) and Pitt (15-6, 3-3 ACC) on Tuesday and Wednesday before returning to Horizon League action later this week.

The Penguins will face Eastern Michigan on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Oestrike Stadium in Ypsilanti, Mich. Live video for Tuesday's game will be available on ESPN+.

YSU will make the short trip across the Pennsylvania state line on Wednesday for a contest at Pitt. First pitch at Charles L. Cost Field in Pittsburgh is slated for 3 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.

Live stats for both of YSU's scheduled midweek tilts will be available through links posted on YSUsports.com.

Youngstown State at Eastern Michigan & Pitt

Opponent	Date	Location	Video	Live Stats
	Tuesday March 24 | 3 PM	Oestrike Stadium Ypsilanti, Mich.	ESPN+	Live Stats
	Wednesday March 25 | 3 PM	Charles L. Cost Field Pittsburgh, Pa.	ACCNX	Live Stats

A Glimpse at the Guins

• Fifth year senior right-hander Luke Zmolik is scheduled to make his first start as a Penguin on Tuesday at Eastern Michigan. The Monroe, Wash., native has registered eight strikeouts in seven innings pitched over seven relief appearances this season. Zmolik, a first-year transfer from NAIA Ave Maria University, is tied for the team lead with seven total appearances on the mound for the Penguins in 2026.
• Junior right-hander Brevin Smith is also slated to make his first start as a Penguin on Wednesday at Pitt. The Palm Bay, Fla., native has recorded five strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched over two appearances out of the bullpen this season. Smith, a first-year transfer from Division II Savannah State, made a total of 17 starts and six relief appearances on the mound for the Tigers over the last two seasons.
• Youngstown State most recently dropped two of three non-conference games at Georgetown this past weekend. The Penguins picked up a 3-2 win in the series opener on Friday before falling 7-2 on Saturday and 6-3 in the series finale on Sunday. Redshirt junior Brady Shannon hit the go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the sixth inning on Friday to help send YSU to the series-opening victory over the Hoyas.
• The Penguins earned a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over Oakland in their Horizon League opener on March 13 at Pullman Park in Butler, Pa. The Golden Grizzlies evened the series with a 12-6 win on March 14 before picking up the series win with a 4-3 victory in the finale on March 15. YSU earned its first victory of the 2026 season with a 2-1 win in the series opener at Longwood on Feb 27.
• Youngstown State recorded eight stolen bases as a team in its 6-5 league-opening victory over Oakland at Pullman Park on March 13. The eight steals were the program's most since the Penguins tied the single-game school record with nine steals against Toledo on April 10, 2019. The series opener with the Golden Grizzlies marked just the fifth time in school history that YSU swiped at least eight bases in a game. The Penguins ranked tied for second in the Horizon League with 31 stolen bases as a team in 40 total attempts at the outset of the week.
• Senior left-hander Braden Gebhardt was recently named to the College Baseball Foundation 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Watch List. The Howland, Ohio, native was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week three times in as many weeks to begin the 2026 season. Gebhardt earned his third consecutive weekly league honor after posting a career-high 12 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings on the mound in YSU's 2-1 series-opening win at Longwood on Feb. 27. The senior southpaw scattered five hits while walking just two batters and matching the longest outing of his career for the second straight week.
• Most recently, Gebhardt did not allow an earned run while scattering three hits and fanning seven batters over six innings to earn his first win of the season in YSU's 3-2 series-opening victory at Georgetown on Friday. The senior allowed his first earned run of the 2026 season during his 30th inning of work in his fifth start against Oakland on March 13. Through games completed on March 22, Gebhardt led the Horizon League while ranking 21st nationally with 47 strikeouts. He also paced the league in ERA (1.18), opponent batting average (.172) and innings pitched (38.0) at the start of the week. Gebhardt ranks 18th nationally in ERA while leading the league in WHIP (0.87) and hits allowed per nine innings (5.45).
• Gebhardt, who earned the first weekly Horizon League honor of his career following opening weekend, did not allow an earned run while limiting Oregon to two hits over seven strong innings on the mound in YSU's 3-0 loss to the Ducks on Feb. 20 at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. He also recorded 11 strikeouts over six innings in a stellar Opening Day effort in a 2-1 loss at Auburn in the 2026 season opener on Feb. 13. In the first start of his senior season, Gebhardt was responsible for one unearned run on two hits with 11 strikeouts over six innings on the mound. He posted the most strikeouts in a game by a YSU pitcher since Collin Floyd fanned 12 batters against Milwaukee on April 9, 2021.
• At the outset of the week, senior right-hander Jack Messmore ranked fifth in the Horizon League in innings pitched (26.2), sixth in ERA (6.07) and sixth in strikeouts (19). The first-year transfer from New Mexico scattered six hits and struck out five batters over 6.1 scoreless innings in game one of a doubleheader at Auburn on Feb. 14 in his YSU debut. Messmore recorded a season-high six strikeouts in his fifth start of the season against Oakland on March 14.
• Freshman infielder Alex Jang ranked ninth in the Horizon League with a .298 batting average over 17 games played and 13 starts heading into the week. The Las Vegas, Nev., native leads YSU in hits (17), doubles (3) and total bases (26). The freshman has now hit safely in eight of his last 11 games. Jang recorded a career-high three hits including his first-career home run and a double in the series finale at Longwood on March 1.
• Fifth-year senior outfielder Kendal Spencer ranked tied for third in the Horizon League with a team-high seven stolen bases in nine attempts through games completed on March 22. Spencer recorded three of YSU's eight steals in the league-opening win over Oakland on March 13. Redshirt junior outfielder Brady Shannon ranks tied for fourth in the league with a team leading four home runs. Shannon hit the go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to help send YSU to a 3-2 series-opening win over Georgetown on Friday.
• Youngstown State's pitching staff ranked atop the Horizon League with 148 strikeouts through games played on March 22. The Penguins rank second in the league with a 5.47 team ERA and a .279 opponent batting average. YSU pitchers had also allowed the second-fewest total runs (141), earned runs (100), hits (183) and walks (103) in the league at the start of the week.
• YSU and Eastern Michigan will meet on the diamond for the second straight season after a five-year break in the series. In the first meeting since the 2019 season, the Eagles won a 14-4 decision in Ypsilanti last April after the Penguins had been victorious in each of the previous two encounters.
• YSU has won two of the last five and six of the last 11 meetings with Pitt overall. The Panthers defeated the Penguins 17-7 in Pittsburgh last March in the most recent encounter. The two teams split a pair of meetings in 2024 with YSU earning a 7-6 win in 10 innings at Charles L. Cost Field for its fourth consecutive victory over the Panthers in Pittsburgh. Youngstown State has a win over Pitt in five of the last six seasons that the two programs have faced off. YSU was also scheduled to play at Pitt earlier this season on March 3 before the contest was canceled due to inclement weather.
• Youngstown State is under the direction of second-year head coach Trevor Charpie. In Charpie's first season guiding the program in 2025, the Penguins finished with a 15-42 overall record and an 11-19 mark in Horizon League play to finish fourth in the league standings. There are 38 players on YSU's roster in 2026, and 17 of them were with the program last year. The Penguins returned 15 letterwinners from last year's team and have 21 newcomers to the roster.

Game Previews

A Win on Tuesday Would…

• Give the Penguins their fourth victory of the 2026 season.
• Snap a two-game losing streak.
• Give YSU its fourth win in six all-time meetings with Eastern Michigan.
• Give Trevor Charpie his 19th career coaching victory.

A Win on Wednesday Would…

• Give YSU three wins in the last five meetings with Pitt.
• Snap a two-game losing skid in the series with the Panthers.
• Be YSU's fifth victory over Pitt in the last six meetings at Charles L. Cost Field.

Scouting Eastern Michigan

• Eastern Michigan enters the week with a 6-17 overall record and a 2-7 mark in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play after winning two of three conference home games against Akron this past weekend. EMU's 9-8 win in 10 innings over Akron on Saturday snapped a 10-game losing streak dating back to a road victory at SIUE on Feb. 28.
• Senior infielder TJ Williams is batting .304 while leading the Eagles with 24 hits, 16 walks and seven stolen bases. Senior infielder Devan Zirwas is batting .250 and slugging .620 while leading EMU with eight home runs, 25 RBIs and 18 runs scored. Eastern Michigan ranks last in the MAC with a .227 team batting average.
• Senior right-hander Ethan Davis is scheduled to make his third start of the season for the Eagles on Tuesday. Davis owns a 0-1 record and a 12.66 ERA in 10.2 innings pitched over four relief appearances and two starts. Senior right-hander Landon Mueller has a team-high 22 strikeouts in 18.1 innings over five relief appearances and three starts.
• Junior left-hander Cole Egan leads EMU with nine total appearances, all of which have come out of the bullpen, while sophomore right-hander Fischer Hendershot has a team-high two saves. Eastern Michigan ranks 10th in the MAC with an 8.37 team ERA heading into the week. The Eagles were picked ninth out of 12 teams in the 2026 MAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll after finishing at 21-31 overall and 12-18 in conference play in 2025.

Scouting Pitt

• Pitt begins the week with a 15-6 overall record and a 3-3 mark in ACC play after dropping two of three conference home games this past weekend against Georgia Tech. The Panthers are scheduled to visit Kent State on Tuesday before hosting the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Pitt won eight straight decisions from Feb. 25 through March 8.
• At the outset of the week, the Panthers ranked in the top 10 nationally as a team in batting average (.330), walks (170), on-base percentage (.467), runs per game (10.4), slugging percentage (.586) and home runs (46).
• Senior outfielder Lorenzo Carrier leads the nation with a 1.029 slugging percentage while ranking third nationally with a .464 batting average and 44 RBIs. Carrier also leads Pitt with 32 hits, 10 home runs, 71 total bases and 29 walks. Senior outfielder AJ Nessler is batting .369 and slugging .595 while leading the Panthers with 35 runs scored and seven stolen bases.
• Pitt enters the week ranking eighth in the ACC with a 4.58 team ERA. Senior left-hander Mikey Gray was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watchlist ahead of the 2026 season. Grey is tied for the team lead with six pitching appearances, all of which have come out of the bullpen.

Series History (EMU)

• Overall: YSU leads 3-2
• Charpie: 0-1 // H: 1-0 // A: 1-1 // N: 1-1
• Current Win Streak: 1 by Eastern Michigan
• Last Meeting: April 22, 2025 (L, 4-14 in 7 innings)
• First Meeting: March 8, 2014 (W, 5-4)
• YSU and Eastern Michigan met on the diamond for the first time since the 2019 season last April. The Eagles won a 14-4 decision in seven innings last season in Ypsilanti after the Penguins had won the two previous encounters.

Series History (Pitt)

• Overall: Pitt leads 40-13-1
• Charpie: 0-1 // H: 5-15 // A: 8-25-1 // N: 0-0
• Current Win Streak: 2 by Pitt
• Last Meeting: March 12, 2025 (L, 7-17)
• First Meeting: April 30, 1986 (L, 2-14)
• YSU has won two of the last five and six of the last 11 meetings with Pitt overall. The Guins have a win over the Panthers in five of the last six seasons in which the programs have faced off. YSU had also won four straight meetings between the teams at Charles L. Cost Field in Pittsburgh before last season's decision.
• YSU's last victory in the series was a 7-6 win in 10 innings in Pittsburgh on March 13, 2024.

Recapping Last Week

at Georgetown – Friday, March 20 // W, 3-2

• Redshirt junior Brady Shannon hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to help send Youngstown State to a 3-2 series-opening win over Georgetown on Friday afternoon at Capital One Park.
• The Hoyas scored single unearned runs in the fourth and fifth innings to build a 2-0 edge before the Penguins started the top of the sixth with back-to-back singles from Nathan Beckley and Brayden Kuriger. Shannon followed by hitting the first pitch of his third at bat deep over the wall in center field to give YSU a decisive 3-2 advantage.
• Three Youngstown State pitchers combined to limit Georgetown to a total of two unearned runs and five hits. Braden Gebhardt did not allow an earned run while scattering three hits and fanning seven batters over six innings on the mound to earn his first win of the season. Tyler Heflin worked a scoreless seventh before Sloan Ulrich came on to toss two scoreless frames and collect his first save.
• Kuriger recorded a game-high three hits including a double while Nick Miscavage went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.

at Georgetown – Saturday, March 21 // L, 2-7

• Georgetown jumped out to a 6-0 lead and went on to defeat Youngstown State 7-2 on Saturday at Capital One Park.
• The Hoyas scored the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning before posting five runs in the fourth to build a six-run advantage. The Penguins plated their first run in the top of the sixth before the Hoyas got the run back with a single tally in the eighth. YSU scored another single run in the top of the ninth to produce the final margin.
• Nathan Beckley and Alex Jang each recorded two hits while Shannon doubled and scored a run for the Penguins offensively. James Carlson hit his first career triple and scored a run while Brevin Smith singled, walked and stole a base.
• YSU starter Jack Messmore surrendered four runs on six hits with two strikeouts and two walks over three innings in a losing effort. Luke Zmolik was responsible for two runs on three hits with three punchouts over two innings of relief while Kale Wemer allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts over a career-high three innings on the mound.

at Georgetown – Sunday, March 22 // L, 3-6

• Georgetown scored four runs over its final three at bats to pull away for a 6-3 victory over Youngstown State in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Capital One Park.
• The Penguins jumped in front quickly when Beckley hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning. The Hoyas scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to grab a 2-1 lead before plating a pair of runs in the sixth to build a 4-1 advantage.
• Jang's solo blast in the top of the seventh kept YSU within striking distance, but Georgetown answered with two more runs in the eighth inning to gain a 6-2 lead. The Penguins posted a single tally in the top of the ninth when Carlson singled and scored on a pinch-hit RBI single from Garrett Cutting.
• Beckley and Jang each hit solo home runs for the Penguins while Carlson singled, walked and scored a run.
• YSU starter Mikey Rodriques did not allow a hit while fanning two batters and walking two over two scoreless innings in his fourth start of the season. Brandon Mikos allowed four runs on nine hits over four innings on the mound while Griffin Almond was responsible for two runs in two thirds of an inning.

Up Next

Following Wednesday's midweek contest at Pitt, the Penguins will return to Horizon League play on Friday to open a three-game series at Northern Kentucky. First pitch for Friday's series opener is currently scheduled for 3 p.m.