Penguins Face Pair of MAC Opponents in Non-League Road Contests

Tuesday, April 14

Akron, OH

12:30 p.m.

Youngstown State University

Akron

Photo by: Bryson Chavez

Penguins Face Pair of MAC Opponents in Non-League Road Contests

4/13/2026 3:48:00 PM | Baseball

The Youngstown State baseball team (5-28, 3-9 HL) is scheduled to play mid-week non-conference contests against Akron (15-20, 6-12 MAC) and Central Michigan (13-18, 7-11 MAC) on Tuesday and Wednesday before returning to Horizon League action later this week.

The Penguins will face Akron on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. at Skeeles Field in Akron, Ohio. Live video for Tuesday's game will be available via the Zips Digital Network.

YSU will play the second of six straight road games at Central Michigan on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

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

Youngstown State at Akron & Central Michigan

Opponent	Date	Location	Video	Live Stats
	Tuesday April 14 \| 12:30 PM	Skeeles Field Akron, Ohio	Zips Digital Network	Live Stats
	Wednesday April 15 \| 3 PM	Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium Mount Pleasant, Mich.	Chippewas All-Access	Live Stats

A Glimpse at the Guins

Junior right-hander Brevin Smith is scheduled to make his second start as a Penguin on Tuesday at Akron. The Palm Bay, Fla., native has recorded nine strikeouts in 10.1 innings pitched over four relief appearances and one start 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.
Redshirt senior right-hander Lane Rhodes is slated to make his first start of the 2026 season on Wednesday at Central Michigan. The Salem, Ohio, native has logged eight innings over six appearances out of the bullpen this season. Rhodes has made 45 career appearances including 12 starts during his YSU career.
The Penguins have dropped five straight decisions after being swept by Wright State in a three-game Horizon League series this past weekend at Bob Cene Park in Struthers, Ohio. The league-leading Raiders won the series opener 15-4 on Friday before picking up the series victory with an 8-5 win in 10 innings on Saturday. Wright State completed the sweep with a 20-8 victory in the series finale on Sunday. Friday's series opener marked YSU's first game at Bob Cene Park since March 20, 2012.
Tuesday's game at Akron will be the 157th all-time meeting between the Penguins and Zips on the diamond in a series dating back to 1950. Wednesday's contest at Central Michigan will mark the first meeting between the Penguins and Chippewas since the 2005 season. YSU has won three of the five all-time meetings with CMU, with all five encounters occurring during the 2004 and 2005 seasons in Ohio. Wednesday's contest in Mount Pleasant will be Youngstown State's first visit to Central Michigan.
Youngstown State earned its first Horizon League series win of the season after taking two of three games at Milwaukee on April 3-4. The Penguins swept a doubleheader with wins of 5-3 and 7-4 on April 3 before dropping a 5-1 decision in the series finale on April 4. YSU earned a 6-5 triumph over Oakland in its Horizon League opener on March 13 at Pullman Park in Butler, Pa.
Senior left-hander Braden Gebhardt was named to the College Baseball Foundation 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Watch List in March. 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.
Gebhardt allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks over six innings to earn his second victory of the season in YSU's 5-3 series-opening win at Milwaukee on April 3. He 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 March 20. 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 April 12, Gebhardt leads the Horizon League while ranking 33rd nationally with 66 strikeouts and ninth in the country with nine games started. He also paces the league in ERA (2.14), innings pitched (54.2) and WHIP (1.04) heading into the week. Gebhardt ranks 37th nationally in ERA while ranking second in the league in hits allowed per nine innings (6.91) and walks allowed per nine innings (2.47).
Gebhardt became just the ninth pitcher in YSU history to reach 200 career strikeouts in Friday's series opener with Wright State. He currently ranks eighth in program history with 202 career strikeouts, and he ranks 14th in school history with 213.2 career innings pitched.
Redshirt junior outfielder Brady Shannon leads the Horizon League with 10 home runs while also ranking fifth in the league with a .535 slugging percentage. The Youngstown, Ohio, native leads YSU with 10 homers, 19 runs scored, 21 RBIs and 54 total bases. Shannon went 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double and four RBIs in the series opener at NKU on March 27. He hit his eighth home run of the campaign at Pitt on April 8 before doing yard twice during YSU's three-game Horizon League series with Wright State this past weekend.
Senior right-hander Jack Messmore ranks third in the Horizon League in innings pitched (44.2), fourth in ERA (5.24) and eighth in strikeouts (28). 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. The senior earned his first win of the season after allowing four runs and fanning three batters while matching his season high of 6.1 innings pitched in YSU's 7-4 win at Milwaukee on April 3.
Redshirt junior utility player Nathan Beckley has now hit safely in 14 of his last 18 games after putting together a nine-game hitting streak from March 14-28. The Aliso Viejo, Calif., native is batting .282 and slugging .473 while leading the Penguins in doubles (8), triples (2) and walks (16). Beckley ranks second in the Horizon League with two triples while also ranking fifth with eight doubles, sixth with 16 walks and 10th with an .858 OPS. He has also reached base safely in 16 of his last 18 contests.
Freshman infielder Alex Jang is batting .274 and slugging .419 while leading YSU with 32 hits heading into the week. The Las Vegas, Nev., native has hit safely in 12 of his last 18 games while putting together a five-game hitting streak from March 21-27. 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. He matched his career high with three hits at Eastern Michigan on March 24 before going 2-for-5 with a two-run home run at Pitt on March 25. Jang also went 3-for-5 with his first career triple in the series opener at Milwaukee on April 3.
Youngstown State's pitching staff ranks second in the Horizon League with a 6.65 team ERA, 223 strikeouts and a .298 opponent batting average. YSU pitchers had also allowed the second-fewest total runs and earned runs in the league heading into the week of action.
YSU recorded eight stolen bases as a team in a 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 currently rank third in the Horizon League with 44 stolen bases as a team in 59 total attempts. Freshman infielder Misael Uriepero ranks seventh in the league with a team-high eight steals.
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 sixth victory of the 2026 season.
Snap a five-game losing skid.
Snap a three-game losing skid in the series with Akron.
Give Trevor Charpie his 21st career coaching victory.

A Win on Wednesday Would…

Give YSU its first win over Central Michigan since March 26, 2005.
Give the Guins their fourth victory in six all-time meetings with the Chippewas.

Series History (Akron)

Overall: Akron leads 95-61
Charpie: 0-3 // H: 40-30 // A: 21-61 // N: 0-4
Current Win Streak: 3 by Akron
Last Meeting: March 31, 2026 (L, 10-11)
First Meeting: May 6, 1950 (L, 5-6)
Youngstown State has dropped each of its last three meetings with Akron after an 11-10 walk-off loss earlier this season at Skeeles Field on March 31. The Penguins suffered an 8-6 loss to the Zips at Canal Park in Akron on May 13, 2025. Akron also picked up an 11-2 win over YSU in the first meeting during the 2025 season at Skeels Field in February.
Youngstown State swept a pair of meetings during the 2024 season, earning a 4-3 victory in Akron before winning another one-run decision with a 10-9 walk-off victory at 717 Credit Union Field at Eastwood.
The Penguins and Zips have played 156 times in a series that dates back to 1950.

Series History (CMU)

Overall: Youngstown State leads 3-2
Charpie: 0-0 // H: 3-2 // A: 0-0 // N: 0-0
Current Win Streak: 1 by Central Michigan
Last Meeting: March 27, 2005 (L, 3-7)
First Meeting: March 28, 2004 (W, 6-4)
YSU and Central Michigan will meet on the diamond for the first time since March 27, 2005. The Penguins dropped two of three games to the Chippewas at Cene Park on March 26-27, 2005, in the most recent encounters.
Youngstown State swept a doubleheader with CMU at Toronto High School in Toronto, Ohio, on March 28, 2004, in the first two meetings between the programs.
Wednesday's game in Mount Pleasant will be YSU's first visit to Central Michigan.

Recapping Last Weekend

vs. Wright State – Friday, April 10 // L, 4-15

Youngstown State dropped its Horizon League series opener 15-4 to Wright State on a rainy Friday afternoon at Bob Cene Park in Struthers, Ohio.
Playing at the ballpark in Struthers for the first time in 14 years, the Penguins were held to four hits by the Raiders, who improved to 9-1 in conference play. Two of those hits were solo homers by Jack Messmore and Brady Shannon, and Alex Jang had the other two from the leadoff spot.
The Penguins scored the game's first run when Messmore homered in his first at bat as a Penguin. Messmore, who also served as YSU's starting pitcher on Saturday, turned on a high 3-2 fastball and hit it over the right-field wall.
YSU starter Braden Gebhardt worked around one hit in each of the first two innings, but the Raiders posted four runs on six hits off the senior southpaw in the third. After a leadoff single, Hunter Warren put the Raiders ahead with a two-run homer to left. Wright State had four more hits in the inning, and Keegan Holmstrom scored on a wild pitch, and Andrew Duncan scored on an RBI single after there were two outs.
With his second punchout of the game in the top of the second inning, Gebhardt became just the ninth pitcher in YSU history to reach 200 career strikeouts. The Howland, Ohio, native currently ranks eighth in program history with 202 career strikeouts after fanning four batters in Friday's series opener with the Raiders.

vs. Wright State – Saturday, April 11 // L, 5-8 (10 innings)

Wright State scored five runs over its final two at bats to rally for an 8-5 win in 10 innings over Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon at Bob Cene Park.
The Penguins trailed 2-0 before striking for three runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-2 lead. After the Raiders tied the score 3-3 with a single tally in the top of the fourth, YSU posted a single run of its own in the home half of the inning to regain a 4-3 edge.
The score remained the same until Wright State pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the ninth move ahead 5-4. YSU forced extra innings with a leadoff solo home run from Nathan Beckley in the home half of the ninth, but the Raiders plated two runs in the top of the 10th and held on to earn the series victory.
Ryan Schummer recorded two of YSU's six hits in the game, and the junior catcher hit his second home run of the season. Beckley hit his third homer of the campaign while Alex Jang drove in a pair of runs from the leadoff spot for the Penguins.
YSU starter Jack Messmore allowed three runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and two walks over 5.2 innings pitched in a no-decision. Tyler Heflin was responsible for two runs on five hits over 2.1 innings of relief while Luke Zmolik was tagged with the loss after surrendering three runs over 1.1 innings.

vs. Wright State – Sunday, April 12 // L, 8-20

Youngstown State dropped a 20-8 decision to Wright State in the Horizon League series finale on Sunday afternoon at Bob Cene Park.
The Raiders, who improved to 11-1 in Horizon League play on Sunday, held leads of 2-0 and 5-2 before YSU's three-run third inning tied the score at five runs apiece. Wright State scored eight runs over the next four frames to build an 13-5 advantage. The Penguins scored twice in the home half of the eighth to get within 13-7, but the Raiders responded with a seven-run top of the ninth to pull away and complete the three-game series sweep.
Nathan Beckley and Misael Uriepero each had three hits for the Penguins offensively while Ryan Schummer went 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run. Teddy Ruffner added a pair of hits while Brady Shannon belted a two-run blast for his team-leading 10th homer of the season.
YSU starter Mikey Rodriques allowed three runs on three hits over 1.1 innings before handing the ball to Brandon Mikos, who suffered the loss after surrendering five runs on eight hits in 2.1 innings of relief. Sloan Ulrich was responsible for five runs over 2.2 innings out of the bullpen while Aidan English was tagged with six runs in two innings on the mound.

Up Next

The Penguins will continue their six-game road stretch this weekend with a three-game Horizon League series at Oakland beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. The Penguins and Golden Grizzlies are scheduled to play on Saturday at 2 p.m. before concluding the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.