Dayton, Ohio – The Youngstown State baseball team completed the three-game Horizon League series sweep of Wright State with a pair of victories over the Raiders in a doubleheader on Friday at Nischwitz Stadium.
The Penguins earned their second straight Horizon League series win with an 8-6 victory in 10 innings in game one of Friday's twin bill before securing the series sweep with an 8-2 triumph in the nightcap and 2026 regular season finale.
YSU, which has now won nine of its last 12 Horizon League contests, concludes the regular season at 15-38 overall and 12-12 in Horizon League play. Wright State, which had already claimed the league's regular season title and No. 1 seed in next week's 2026 Horizon League Baseball Championship, finishes the regular season at 25-26 overall and 17-7 in league action.
The Penguins, who will be the No. 4 seed in the Horizon League Tournament, will face fifth-seeded Oakland in an opening-round elimination game at Wright State's Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Game 1 Recap
Kendal Spencer hit a go-ahead solo home run as part of a two-run top of the 10th inning as Youngstown State defeated Wright State 8-6 in extra innings to secure the Horizon League series victory on Saturday afternoon at Nischwitz Stadium.
Wright State took a 3-0 lead with two home runs in the bottom of the second inning, and the score remained the same until YSU scored twice in the top of the sixth to pull within a run. The Penguins plated three runs in the top of the seventh to move in front 5-3 before the Raiders knotted the score at 5-5 with a pair of runs in the home half of the seventh.
Ryan Schummer's two-out solo blast in the top of the ninth lifted Youngstown State to a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. Wright State answered with a single tally of its own in the bottom half of the ninth to force extras. Spencer belted his solo shot for his first homer of the season in the top of the 10th to put the Guins back ahead, and Brady Shannon added a two-out RBI for the final margin.
YSU starter Jack Messmore allowed four runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks over 6.1 innings in a no-decision. The senior right-hander retired 11 straight batters between the third and seventh innings while sitting the Raiders down in order in four different frames. Aidan English was responsible for one run while recording two outs in the seventh, and Bryce Palms surrendered one run over two innings of relief in a winning effort.
Mikey Rodriques retired the Raiders in order in the bottom of the 10th to register his first save of the season.
In just his second start since March 15, Spencer went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, a walk, two RBIs and two stolen bases while Luke Rossi, Shannon and Misael Uriepero added two hits apiece.
The Raiders jumped in front with three runs on a pair of home runs in the bottom of the second inning. Cy Turner hit a solo shot for the game's first run before Zac Butler hit a two-out, two-run homer to give Wright State a 3-0 lead.
The Penguins cut Wright State's lead to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Shannon hit a leadoff single and scored when Nathan Beckley reached on an error while Spencer proceeded to drive in Beckley with a two-out RBI single.
YSU moved in front 5-3 with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Uriepero hit a leadoff double and advanced to third on a flyout while Schummer walked and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Rossi delivered a two-out, two-run single to give the Guins the lead and Beckley followed with an RBI double.
Wright State evened the score at five runs apiece by scoring twice in the home half of the seventh. Keegan Holmstrom and JP Peltier each hit a two-out RBI single to pull the Raiders even after seven innings.
After Schummer's solo home run in the top of the ninth put the Penguins back ahead 6-5, the Raiders responded by scoring a single run of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 6-6 and force extra innings. Hunter Warren reached with a one-out single and was replaced by pinch runner Brett Denby. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Denby advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Peltier's RBI single.
Wright State starter Griffen Paige struck out eight batters over five scoreless innings on the mound in a no-decision. Michael Zielinski was responsible for two runs in one inning as the first of three relievers to appear for the Raiders. Cooper Gilkerson permitted three runs in one inning of work while Malachi Paplanus suffered the loss after allowing three runs over the final three frames.
Turner finished 3-for-5 with a home run to lead three Raiders with multiple hits in the contest. YSU and Wright State each recorded 11 hits to finish even in the hit column.
Game 2 Recap
Youngstown State used a five-run seventh inning to pull away for an 8-2 victory over Wright State in game two of Friday's doubleheader at Nischwitz Stadium.
The Penguins scored three runs over the first two innings before the Raiders posted the next two tallies to trail 3-2. YSU erupted for five runs on four hits in the top of the seventh to build an 8-2 lead in route to completing its first series sweep of Wright State since 2005.
Youngstown State starter Brandon Mikos allowed one run while scattering four hits over five innings on the mound to earn the win while Luke Zmolik was responsible for one run on two hits over three strong innings of relief. Jake Ferretti came in to work a scoreless bottom of the ninth out of YSU's bullpen.
Garrett Cutting went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored from the leadoff spot for the Penguins offensively while Shannon and Schummer each added two hits and drove in a run. Youngstown State outhit Wright State by a total of 11-7 in the series finale.
Youngstown State took the early advantage with two runs in the top of the first before adding a singe tally in the top of the third. In the top of the first, Cutting hit a leadoff single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Rossi while Shannon singled and scored on Beckley's RBI sacrifice bunt. James Carlson reached with a bunt single and scored on Cutting's two-out RBI single in the top of the second to give the Guins a 3-0 lead.
Wright State got on the scoreboard with a single run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Nate Manely hit a leadoff single and scored from third when Andrew Duncan drew a bases-loaded walk. The Raiders pushed across another single run in the bottom of the sixth to trim YSU's lead to 3-2. Turner drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on a two-out RBI single by Gus Gregory.
The Penguins countered with five runs in the top of the seventh to push their lead to 8-2. Uriepero drew a one-out walk and scored from second on Shannon's RBI single to right field. Schummer and Rossi each followed with RBI singles before Teddy Ruffner delivered a two-run double to left center field.
WSU starter Chet Lax allowed three runs on six hits over three innings in a losing effort while Cooper Robinson and Denby each tossed a scoreless inning of relief. Brody Papay, Cooper Ashby and Evan Boeckmann combined to allow five runs over 1.2 innings before Nate Shaw worked 2.1 scoreless innings.
Warren and Braylen Blomquist each notched two hits to lead the Raiders offensively.
Youngstown State will return to Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton next week to begin play in the 2026 Horizon League Baseball Championship. The fourth-seeded Penguins will face fifth-seeded Oakland on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in an opening round elimination game on ESPN+.
