The Youngstown State baseball team (12-38, 9-12 HL) will conclude its 2026 regular season schedule with a three-game Horizon League series at Wright State (25-23, 17-4 HL) beginning on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio.

After opening the series on Thursday afternoon, the Penguins and Raiders will proceed to play on Friday at 2 p.m. before closing the series on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Live stats will be available throughout the series through links posted on YSUsports.com. Fans can also follow @YSUBaseball on X for live updates.

Youngstown State at Wright State

Opponent	Date	Location	Live Stats
	Thursday May 14 | 3 PM ET	Nischwitz Stadium Dayton, Ohio	Live Stats
	Friday May 15 | 2 PM ET	Nischwitz Stadium Dayton, Ohio	Live Stats
	Sunday May 16 | 1 PM ET	Nischwitz Stadium Dayton, Ohio	Live Stats

A Glimpse at the Guins

• Senior left-hander Braden Gebhardt will start on the mound for the Penguins in the series opener on Thursday while senior right-hander Jack Messmore is slated to start game two of the series on Friday. Redshirt senior right-hander Brandon Mikos is scheduled to take the ball for YSU in the series finale on Saturday.
• Youngstown State earned the three-game Horizon League series win over Milwaukee with two victories this past weekend to close out its 2026 home scheduled at 717 Credit Union Field at Eastwood. The Penguins held on for a 13-11 win in the series opener on Friday before claiming the series with a 4-3 victory on Saturday. The Panthers salvaged the series finale with a 12-8 win over the Penguins on Sunday. YSU has now won six of its last nine Horizon League contests dating back to April 17.
• Youngstown State earned a three-game Horizon League series sweep at Oakland on April 17-19. YSU held on for a 13-12 victory in game one of a doubleheader on April 17 to open the series before collecting the series win with a 16-2 triumph in seven innings game two of the twin bill. The Penguins completed the series sweep with a 6-4 win in the finale on April 18. YSU picked up its first series sweep since winning three contests at Purdue Fort Wayne on May 5-7, 2023. The Penguins recorded their two highest scoring outputs of the 2026 season with 13 runs and 15 hits in the series opener at Oakland followed by seasons highs of 16 runs and 17 hits in game two of the doubleheader sweep.
• Senior left-hander Braden Gebhardt was named as one of 43 semifinalists for the College Baseball Foundation 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Award on April 22. The Howland, Ohio, native was also named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week for the fifth time in 2026 on Monday. Gebhardt allowed one earned run on four hits with eight strikeouts over six innings to earn his fourth win of the season in YSU's 13-11 victory over Milwaukee in the Horizon League series opener on Friday. He is the only pitcher in the league to claim the weekly honor at least three times this season. Gebhardt collected his fourth weekly HL award after allowing two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts over 6.1 innings to earn his third win of the season in YSU's 16-2 victory at Oakland in game two of a doubleheader on April 17. Gebhardt was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week three times in as many weeks to begin the 2026 season.
• Through games completed on May 12, Gebhardt leads the Horizon League while ranking 39th nationally with 90 strikeouts and 14th in the country with 13 games started. He also paces the league in ERA (2.96), innings pitched (76.0), WHIP (1.18) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.66). Gebhardt's 90 strikeouts currently rank as the sixth most in a single season in program history. The senior southpaw became just the ninth pitcher in YSU history to reach 200 career strikeouts in the series opener with Wright State on April 10. Gebhardt currently ranks sixth in program history with 226 career strikeouts, and he ranks 11th in school history with 235.0 career innings pitched.
• Redshirt junior outfielder Brady Shannon leads the Horizon League with 14 home runs while also ranking eighth in the league with a .560 slugging percentage. The Youngstown, Ohio, native leads YSU with 14 homers, 34 runs scored, 30 RBIs and 89 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. Shannon currently ranks tied for tied for fifth in YSU history with 24 career home runs as a Penguin. The redshirt junior has also become the first player in program history to hit at least 10 homers in two different seasons. Shannon's 14 home runs in 2026 currently rank as the third most in a single season in school history.
• Redshirt senior infielder Garrett Cutting owns an 11-game hitting streak entering the upcoming week of action while battling through injuries. Over that 11-game stretch, Cutting is batting .341 and slugging .795 with five doubles, five home runs and 12 RBIs. The Las Vegas, Nev., native has hit a home run in four of his last seven games. Cutting went 2-for-5 with and RBI double while homering for the second straight day in the series finale with NKU on May 3.
• Redshirt junior utility player Nathan Beckley has now hit safely in 24 of his last 33 games while putting together a nine-game hitting streak from March 14-28. The Aliso Viejo, Calif., native is batting .283 and slugging .459 while leading the Penguins in doubles (15), triples (2) and walks (24). Beckley ranks fourth in the Horizon League in doubles and triples while also ranking ninth in the league in walks.
• Freshman infielder Alex Jang is batting .290 and slugging .432 over 43 games played and 39 starts. The Las Vegas, Nev., native has missed the last four games due to injury. He has hit safely in eight of his last 11 games and in 21 of his last 31 contests. 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 also went 3-for-5 with his first career triple in the series opener at Milwaukee on April 3. Jang leads the Penguins with 47 hits and 15 multi-hit games on the season.
• Senior right-hander Jack Messmore ranks third in the Horizon League in innings pitched (66.0), seventh in ERA (5.86) and ninth in strikeouts (42). The Niceville, Fla., native has matched his teammate Gebhardt with a team and league best 13 starts on the mound to rank 14th nationally in games started. 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 earned his second win of the season after setting new season highs with seven strikeouts and seven innings pitched in YSU's 4-3 win over Milwaukee on Saturday.
• Messmore also hit a home run in his first plate appearance of the season while serving as the designated hitter in the series opener with Wright State on April 10. The senior also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and a career-high five RBIs as the designated hitter in YSU's 13-11 series-opening win over Milwaukee on Friday.
• Freshman infielder Misael Uriepero has hit safely in 13 of his last 19 games while being the only Penguin to play in and start all 50 games to this point in the 2026 season. The Caracas, Venezuela, native matched his career high with three hits by going 3-for-5 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in YSU's 11-10 victory at Toledo on April 21. He also went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored in YSU's victory over Milwaukee on Friday. Uriepero ranks tied for 10th in the Horizon League with a team-high 11 stolen bases.
• Junior catcher Ryan Schummer is currently on a five-game hitting streak while also homering in three straight games from May 6-9. The West Lafayette, Ind., native hit a three-run home run vs. Eastern Michigan on Wednesday before going 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs in YSU's 13-11 series-opening win over Milwaukee on Friday. Schummer went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs in YSU's  4-3 victory over MKE on Saturday. He also added a two-run single in the series finale with the Panthers on Sunday.
• The Penguins have been hit hard by injuries to key position players throughout the 2026 season. Fifth-year senior outfielder Kendal Spencer started each of YSU's first 17 games before missing 28 consecutive games due to injury. Spencer, a two-time All-Region selection at Division II Savannah State, saw his first game action since March 15 when he appeared as a pinch runner in the series finale with NKU on May 3. Sophomore infielder Jay Wrona, who was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team in 2025, played in just six games before being shut down due to injury. Senior outfielder Brayden Kuriger, who was named to the 2025 Horizon League All-Tournament Team, has missed the last 21 contests after starting each of YSU's first 29 games in the outfield. Sophomore catcher Caleb Hadley played in 10 games before also being lost for the season due to injury. Redshirt junior infielder Luke Rossi has missed 16 games due to injury, and redshirt freshman infielder Nick Miscavage has missed a total of 37 games throughout the campaign.
• 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.

Series Preview

A Win on Thursday Would…

• Give YSU three wins in its last four games.
• Improve YSU's Horizon League record to 10-12.
• Give the Guins seven wins in their last 10 Horizon League contests.
• Snap a nine-game losing skid in the series with Wright State.
• Give Trevor Charpie his 28th career coaching victory.

Scouting Wright State

• Wright State has claimed the Horizon League regular season championship for the eighth straight season to serve as the No. 1 seed and host for the upcoming 2026 Horizon League Baseball Championship. The Raiders own a 25-23 overall record and a 17-4 mark in Horizon League play following an 8-4 non-league victory at Ohio State on Tuesday.
• Redshirt sophomore infielder Hunter Warren is batting .375 and slugging .560 with 11 doubles, eight home runs, 39 RBIs and 45 runs scored. Senior outfielder Cy Turner is batting .298 and slugging .629 while leading Wright State with 11 home runs. Junior infielder JP Peltier is batting .295 and slugging .554 with 10 home runs and a team high 48 RBIs. Wright State leads the Horizon League with a .296 team batting average.
• Junior left-hander Griffen Paige owns a 3-6 record, a 4.83 ERA and a team high 59 strikeouts in 63.1 innings pitched over 12 starts on the mound. Junior left-hander Chet Lax boasts a 9-0 record, a 3.82 ERA and 57 strikeouts in a team-high 68.1 innings pitched over 14 appearances and 11 starts. Sophomore right-hander Malachi Paplanus has a team high three saves and 21 strikeouts in 25.1 innings over 15 relief appearances. The Raiders currently lead the Horizon League with a 5.68 team ERA.

Series History

• Overall: Wright State leads 109-42
• Charpie: 0-9 // H: 19-51 // A: 20-57 // N: 3-1
• Current Win Streak: 9 by Wright State
• Last Meeting: April 12, 2026 (L, 8-20)
• First Meeting: April 30, 1986 (L, 2-14)
• Youngstown State has dropped nine straight meetings with Wright State after being swept in a three-game series earlier this season at Bob Cene Park in Struthers, Ohio. The Raiders have won 16 of the last 17 encounters dating back to the start of the 2024 campaign.
• YSU's most recent victory over Wright State was a 6-3 win on May 24, 2024, which eliminated the Raiders from the 2024 Horizon League Baseball Championship at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio.

Recapping Last Weekend

vs. Milwaukee – Friday, May 8 // W, 13-11

• Youngstown State scored in five straight innings and held on for a 13-11 win over Milwaukee on Friday in the Horizon League series opener at 717 Credit Union Field at Eastwood in Niles, Ohio.
• Friday series opener, which was YSU's annual Akron Children's School Day Game, featured almost 3,900 area students in attendance to cheer on the Penguins. Youngstown State scored the first nine runs of the game starting with a single tally in the second before posting four runs in both the third and fourth innings.
• The Panthers plated four of the game's next five runs as the Penguins held a 10-4 advantage in the middle of the sixth inning. YSU scored the next three runs to build a 13-4 lead before Milwaukee scored seven times in the top of the ninth for the final margin.
• After allowing a two-run single to bring the potential tying run to the plate, YSU reliever Kale Wemer induced a game-ending groundout to earn the save and secure the series-opening win for the Penguins.
• The Penguins outhit the Panthers 16-9 to back another strong starting pitching performance from Braden Gebhardt, who earned his fourth win of the season. The senior left-hander allowed four runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits with eight strikeouts over six innings on the mound. Aidan English was responsible for seven runs with four strikeouts over 2.2 innings of relief before Wemer came on to record the game's final out.
• YSU designated hitter Jack Messmore finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and five RBIs to pace the offensive attack. Misael Uriepero and Teddy Ruffner added three hits apiece while Brady Shannon and Ryan Schummer each had two hits including a home run.

vs. Milwaukee – Saturday, May 9 // W, 4-3

• Youngstown State jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held on for a 4-3 victory over Milwaukee to secure the Horizon League series win on Saturday afternoon at 717 Credit Union Field at Eastwood.
• The Penguins scored four runs in the bottom of the third to jump in front before a pair of solo homers from the Panthers in the top of the fifth cut YSU's lead to 4-2. Milwaukee pulled within 4-3 with a single run in the seventh before getting the potential tying run to third base in the top of the ninth inning.
• Bryce Palms walked Bradyn Horn with one out in the top of the ninth before handing the ball to Tyler Heflin out of the bullpen. Heflin struck out Connor Bozak for the second out before John Hadley singled up the middle to put runners at first and third. Heflin then got Joey Spence to swing and miss on a breaking ball with an 0-2 count to end the game and earn his first save of the season.
• YSU starter Jack Messmore allowed three runs on six hits while setting new season highs with seven strikeouts and seven innings pitched in route to his second win of the season. Messmore retired seven straight batters between the second and fourth innings while registering six strikeouts through his first four innings of work.
• Palms tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief before Heflin came on to record the final two outs. Penguin pitchers combined for a total of 10 strikeouts and only two walks.
• Ryan Schummer 2-for-4 with a double and a three-run home run to go yard for the third consecutive game. Luke Rossi added two hits from the cleanup spot while Nathan Beckley doubled, walked and scored a run from the leadoff spot.

vs. Milwaukee – Sunday, May 10 // L, 8-12

• Milwaukee scored seven runs over the first three innings and went on the salvage the Horizon League series finale with a 12-8 win over Youngstown State on Sunday afternoon at 717 Credit Union Field at Eastwood.
• Sunday's series finale, which marked Senior Day for the YSU baseball program, featured a pregame ceremony honoring a large group of 14 senior student athletes prior to their final home games at 717 Credit Union Field at Eastwood.
• The Panthers scored twice in the first inning and once in the third before the Penguins produced two runs in the home half of the second to trim their deficit to 3-2. Milwaukee scored the next five runs, four of which came in the top of the third, and the Panthers held an 8-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh. YSU erupted for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to draw within 8-7, but Milwaukee outscored the Guins 4-1 over the final two frames to hang on for the win.
• Brady Shannon went 2-for-5 with an RBI triple and a run scored while James Carlson added two hits including a double and drove in a run. The Penguins outhit the Panthers 10-8 in Sunday's series finale.
• YSU starter Brandon Mikos allowed seven runs on six hits with three strikeouts over three innings on the mound in a losing effort. Luke Zmolik was responsible for one run with six punchouts over four innings of relief while Lane Rhodes was tagged with one run in his lone inning of work. Griffin Almond permitted three runs, one of which was earned, in one inning out of the bullpen.

Up Next

Youngstown State will return to Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton for the 2026 Horizon League Baseball Championship, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 20. Details on YSU's first game in league tournament will be announced this weekend.