Heath’s homers lift YSU baseball

Staff report

DAYTON

Marcus Heath (Badger) hit two home runs, and the Youngstown State baseball team scored three runs in the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie and beat Wright State 7-4 on Saturday at Nischwitz Stadium.

The Penguins (7-18, 3-3 Horizon League) won the series 2-1.

Heath had four RBIs and scored three runs, and Neil Schroth had three hits for YSU, which matched Wright State with eight hits.

Kieston Greene homered on the second pitch in the bottom of the first inning to give Wright State a 1-0 lead, but Heath tied the score with a solo blast to left in the fourth. The score remained that way until the YSU junior hit a three-run blast in the sixth that made it 4-1. Schroth and Drew Dosch singled to start the inning and came in on the round-tripper.

Garrett Gray’s homer and an RBI single by Michael Timm got Wright State within one in the bottom of the sixth, and the Raiders got an unearned run in the seventh to tie the score at 4-4.

YSU then got some help from the Raiders in a three-run eighth inning that accounted for the final score. Schroth led off with a single to knock starter Tyler Braun from the contest. Dosch moved Schroth into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and reliever Cody Kopilchack proceeded to hit the next three batters to force in the go-ahead run. In the next at-bat, Josh White’s grounder to short was misplayed as two more runs came in to put YSU up 7-4.

YSU closer Nic Manuppelli worked around two base-runners in the eighth and retired the Raiders (9-14, 4-5) in order in the ninth to record the save.

Penguins starter Patrick O’Brien allowed three earned runs on eight hits while striking out four in 62/3 innings in a no-decision. Alex Frey recorded the final out in the seventh and earned the win. Braun suffered the loss for Wright State, allowing four earned runs on seven hits in seven innings.

YSU needs four wins to match last year’s total.