YSU falls to Wright St. at Horizon tourney

Staff report

Dayton

Wright State scored four runs in the first inning and five in the eighth to defeat Youngstown State 12-0 Friday at the Horizon League baseball tournament.

The sixth-seeded Penguins will play an elimination game today at 11 a.m. against the winner of No. 2 UIC and No. 3 Milwaukee, who played late Friday.

No. 1 Wright State moves on to play No. 4 Valparaiso in the winner’s bracket final at 3 p.m.

The Raiders scored 11 of their 12 runs when there were two outs, and they had the leadoff runner on in four of the five innings they scored.

Zach Tanner had three hits and drove in four runs, and eight Wright State hitters had at least one hit. Tristan Moore also had three hits, and Dan Marsh scored three times.

Joe Iacobucci had two hits for Youngstown State.

Michael Woytek (7-3) threw a complete-game shutout for the Raiders, allowing six hits and three walks while striking out seven.

YSU starter Robert Switka allowed five earned runs — six total — on eight hits and two walks in 51/3 innings. Blake Aquadro allowed an unearned run in 12/3 innings, and Wright State scored its five runs in the eighth inning off Erik Okleson.

Armani Johnson had the defensive play of the game to get the Penguins out of a jam in the sixth. After Switka hit Sam Picchiotti to load the bases with one out, Aquadro came in to get Marsh to fly out to right. Johnson caught the ball coming in, and he threw to third to retire Kyle Mossbarger before Ashe crossed the plate.

Wright State jumped on Switka in the first inning with four two-out runs on four hits. Tanner had a two-run double for the big hit of the frame.