YSU Baseball 2026 Season In Review

The Youngstown State baseball team played 54 games across 10 different states from mid-February to late May during its 2026 season.

YSU concluded the campaign at 15-39 overall and 12-12 in Horizon League play to finish fourth in the league standings. Highlights and key accomplishments from Trevor Charpie's second season as head coach are detailed below.

Penguins Put Together Strong Finish to Season

Youngstown State concluded the 2026 season by winning three of its last four and seven of its five of its final seven games. The Penguins swept a three-game Horizon League series at regular season champion Wright State on May 14-15 to conclude their regular season schedule. YSU won the series opener 5-2 on May 14 before sweeping a doubleheader on May 15 with victories of 8-6 in 10 innings and 8-2, respectively.
The Penguins earned their first series win over the Raiders since 2023 while sweeping Wright State for the first time since the 2005 season.
YSU won three of its final four HL series and nine of its last 12 league contests overall to conclude the regular season. The Penguins also won two of three home games against HL Tournament champion Milwaukee on May 8-10. YSU also won two of three-games at Milwaukee on April 3-4.
The Penguins swept a three-game Horizon League series at Oakland on April 17-18. YSU held on for a 13-12 victory in game one of a doubleheader to open the series on April 17 before collecting the series win with a 16-2 triumph in seven innings game two of the twin bill. The Guins 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.

Statistical Improvement on the Mound

Youngstown State finished third in the Horizon League with a 7.30 team ERA in 2026 after finishing the 2025 season with a 9.95 team ERA. The Penguins posted their lowest team ERA since the 2022 season while also recording the fewest walks by a YSU pitching staff since 2022.
YSU pitchers allowed the fewest walks in the Horizon League while also allowing the second-fewest hits, runs and earned runs. The Penguins finished the campaign ranking third in the league with 379 strikeouts as a staff.
Youngstown State also showed improvement defensively in 2026. The Penguins recorded a team fielding percentage of .960, which is the best mark for the program since the 2021 team set a school record of .969.

Penguins Hit Hard by Injuries

The Penguins were 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 returned to the starting lineup on May 14 at Wright State. In his first start since March 15, Spencer went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and three stolen bases in YSU's 5-2 series-opening victory over the Raiders. He also went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two steals in YSU's 8-6 win at Wright State in the first game of a doubleheader on May 15. 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. The Tampa, Fla., native paced the Penguins with 13 stolen bases in just 24 games played this past season.
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. Sophomore catcher Caleb Hadley played in 10 games before also being lost for the season due to injury. Hadley played in 25 games and made 24 starts behind the plate as a freshman in 2025.
Redshirt junior infielder Luke Rossi missed 16 games due to injury, senior outfielder Brayden Kuriger missed the majority of 21 consecutive contests and redshirt freshman infielder Nick Miscavage missed a total of 41 games.
Kuriger, who was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team in 2025, had hit safely in five straight games and in 13 of 15 contests before missing 21 games due to injury. Miscavage was batting .400 before missing 13 straight games from March 21-April 10. Kuriger returned to YSU's starting lineup as the designated hitter in the series opener at Wright State on May 14.
Rossi finished the 2026 season batting .278 and slugging .409 with six doubles, three home runs and 16 RBIs over 38 games played and 33 starts. The College of San Mateo transfer batted .361 and slugged .459 over 18 games played in Horizon League action.

Gebhardt Enjoys Stellar Senior Season, Garners HL Pitcher of the Year Honors

Senior left-hander Braden Gebhardt enjoyed one of the most successful seasons on the mound in YSU history in 2026. Gebhardt became the sixth player in YSU history and the first since Matt Brosky in 2022 to be named Horizon League Pitcher of the Year in 2026. The Howland, Ohio, native collected all-league recognition for the first time his accomplished career while becoming the fourth YSU pitcher since 2009 to garner First-Team All-Horizon League honors. Following the 2026 season, Gebhardt was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings East All-Region Second Team.
The southpaw posted a 5-4 record, a 3.19 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 87.1 innings pitched while matching the single-season school record with 15 starts on the mound. Gebhardt was named the Horizon League's Pitcher of the Week a record six times during the 2026 season, and he was named as one of 43 semifinalists for the 2026 College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Award on April 22. The senior led the Horizon League in strikeouts, ERA and innings pitched.
With his fifth weekly Horizon League honor of the 2026 season on May 11, Gebhardt became the first pitcher in Horizon League history to win the league's Pitcher of the Week award five times in a single season. He is just the second pitcher to win the award on four or more occasions in season, and he became the sixth pitcher to win the award at least five times in a career. With this sixth weekly award of the campaign, Gebhardt became just the third pitcher in Horizon League history to win the award at least six times in a career. He was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week three times in as many weeks to begin the 2026 season. Gebhardt allowed his first earned run of the 2026 season during his 30th inning of work in his fifth start against Oakland on March 13.
Gebhardt's 104 strikeouts in 2026 currently rank as the fourth most in a season in YSU history, and he became the fifth Penguin ever to record 100 or more strikeouts in a season. The left-hander finished with a 4-1 record and a 4.02 ERA in 47 innings over eight starts in Horizon League play. Gebhardt became the ninth pitcher in YSU history to reach 200 career strikeouts during the 2026 season, and he finished his career ranking sixth in school history with 240 career strikeouts. He also concluded his career ranking 11th in program history with 246.1 career innings pitched, 14th with 71 career appearances and 16th with 13 career wins.
Gebhardt's 3.19 ERA in 2026 ranks No. 13 on the YSU single-season chart, and it is the lowest mark for Penguin pitcher since Matt Brosky posted a 2.65 ERA in 2022. The senior's 10.72 strikeouts per nine innings ranks No. 8 on the YSU single-season list while his 87.1 innings pitched ranks No. 12.
Gebhardt recorded 11 strikeouts over six innings in a stellar Opening Day effort in a 2-1 loss at nationally ranked 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. Gebhardt registered 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.

Shannon Collects All-League Honors; Climbing Home Run Charts at YSU

Redshirt junior outfielder Brady Shannon collected Second-Team All-Horizon League honors in his second season back on the diamond in 2026. The Youngstown, Ohio, native finished the campaign tied for the Horizon League lead with 15 home runs while also ranking seventh in the league with a .560 slugging percentage.
Shannon paced YSU with 15 homers, 39 runs scored, 35 RBIs and 98 total bases. The redshirt junior went 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double and four RBIs in the series opener at NKU on March 27. He hit a go-ahead three-run blast in the top of the eighth inning in YSU's 5-2 series-opening victory at Wright State on May 14 for his 15th homer of the season.
Shannon currently ranks tied for tied for fourth in YSU history with 25 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 15 home runs in 2026 rank as the third most in a single season in school history. The redshirt junior's .512 career slugging percentage currently ranks No. 11 on the YSU career chart.
Shannon batted .318 and slugged .705 with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs over 24 games in Horizon League play. He also finished the season ranking second on the team with 12 stolen bases in 14 attempts.
Shannon returned to the diamond at YSU in 2025 for the first time since playing in 25 games and making nine starts as a true freshman at UCF in 2023. A former two-sport athlete for the Penguins, Shannon was also a backup quarterback on YSU's football team during the 2024 season. He belted 10 homers as a redshirt sophomore for the Penguins in 2025.

Messmore Selected to All-Horizon League Second Team

Senior right-hander Jack Messmore was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team in his debut season as a Penguin in 2026. Messmore finished the season ranking sixth in the league with 72.1 innings pitched, eighth with a 5.85 ERA and 10th with 46 strikeouts.
Messmore, 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 May 9. He tossed at least six innings in seven of his 14 outings this past season. Messmore collected his first win of the 2026 season after allowing four runs over 6.1 innings in YSU's 7-4 victory at Milwaukee on April 3.
Messmore, a former two-way player at Delaware State, 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 May 8. Messmore recorded five hits including two home runs in 10 at bats at the plate during the 2026 season.

Beckley Continues to Provide Consistency and Versatility

Redshirt junior utility player Nathan Beckley continued to provide consistency and versatility in YSU's lineup in 2026 after playing in 52 games and making 49 starts in his debut season as a Penguin in 2025.
Beckley, who was named to the 2025 Horizon League All-Tournament Team, batted .287 and slugged .462 with 49 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 26 RBIs over 51 games played and 48 starts in 2026. The redshirt junior also recorded 27 walks, 31 runs scored, 79 total bases and seven stolen bases. Beckley paced the Penguins in hits, doubles, triples and walks.
Beckley hit safely in seven straight games and in 28 of his last 37 contests to conclude the 2026 season. The Aliso Viejo, Calif., native also put together a nine-game hitting streak earlier in the season from March 14-28.
Beckley finished the 2026 season ranking fourth in the Horizon League in triples, fifth in doubles and ninth in walks. Over 24 Horizon League games in 2026, Beckley batted .337 and slugged .523 with 11 doubles, 20 RBIs and 21 runs scored.
Beckley also continued to show his defensive versatility in 2026. He started 26 games at first base, 11 at third base, seven in right field and four at second base.

Trio of Guins Named to Horizon League All-Freshman Team

Freshmen infielders Alex Jang and Misael Uriepero and freshman left-hander Bryce Palms were named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team in 2026.
Jang garnered Horizon League All-Freshman Team honors after batting .290 and slugging .432 over 43 games played and 39 starts in his debut collegiate campaign. He 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 led the Penguins with 15 multi-hit games on the season while ranking second on the squad with 47 hits despite missing the final seven games of the season due to injury.
Palms earned a nod to the HL All-Freshman Team after finishing his debut collegiate regular season with a 1-1 record, one save and a 3.31 ERA in 12 appearances out of the bullpen. The Upper Marlboro, Md., native posted 15 strikeouts and a .196 opponent batting average over 16.1 innings pitched. Palms earned his first career save after tossing 1.2 scoreless innings of relief to close out YSU's 13-12 series-opening victory at Oakland on April 17. He picked up his first career win after pitching a career high two innings of relief in YSU's 8-6 extra-inning win at Wright State in game one of a doubleheader on May 15.
Uriepero hit safely in 16 of his last 23 games while being the only Penguin to play in and start all 54 games during 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 May 8. Uriepero is batted .250 with eight doubles, 15 RBIs, 24 runs scored, 19 walks and 11 stolen bases. He also posted 150 assists defensively, which ranks as the fourth most in a season in program history and the most since Shane Willoughby recorded 154 in 2015.

Penguins Post Most Stolen Bases in Five Years

Youngstown State finished the 2026 season with 72 stolen bases in 96 attempts. YSU's 72 steals rank as the most for the program since the 2021 team swiped 88 bags. Four different Penguins recorded at least 10 steals during the 2026 seaosn.
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.

Three Penguins Earn HL All-Academic Recognition

Braden Gebhardt, Brayden Kuriger and Teddy Ruffner were each named to the 2026 Valeo Horizon League Baseball All-Academic Team for their combined performance on the field and in the classroom.
Gebhardt, a senior left-hander, was selected to the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the third straight season to become just the sixth player in program history to earn academic all-conference honors at least three times. He maintained a 3.95 GPA as a marketing major at YSU. Gebhardt graduated from Youngstown State this spring with his bachelor's degree in business administration.
Kuriger, a senior outfielder, collected Horizon League All-Academic honors for the first time in his second season as a Penguin. The Gonzales, La., native maintained a 3.78 GPA as a general studies major at YSU, graduating with his bachelor's degree this past spring. Kuriger batted .301 and slugged .530 with 55 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, eight home runs and 43 RBIs over 50 games played and 48 starts as a junior in 2025. He was selected to the 2025 Horizon League All-Tournament Team.
Ruffner, a redshirt senior outfielder, also earned Horizon League All-Academic recognition for the first time in his third season as a Penguin. The Mars, Pa., native maintained an impressive 4.00 GPA as a mechanical engineering major at YSU, graduating this spring with his bachelor's degree.

Gebhardt, Ruffner Named to CSC Academic All-District Team

Following the 2026 season, Braden Gebhardt and Teddy Ruffner were also named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Baseball Team.
Gebhardt was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team for the third straight season to become just the second three-time honoree in program history. He is the first Penguin to earn Academic All-District honors three times since Josh Page from 2006-08.
Ruffner recorded 28 hits including seven doubles, one triple and three home runs over 47 games played and 38 starts as a redshirt senior in 2026. He added 20 runs scored, 18 RBIs, 19 walks and five stolen bases. Ruffner hit two home runs in a game at Eastern Michigan on March 24.

For the latest news and updates on the YSU baseball program throughout the summer, follow @YSUBaseball on X and Instagram.

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