YSU falls to WSU in doubleheader

WSU pitching

shut down YSU

Staff report

NILES

Wright State’s pitching staff held the Youngstown State baseball team in check for most of the day and swept a Horizon League doubleheader from the Penguins, 7-3 and 10-0, on Friday at Eastwood Field.

Game two was called after seven innings due to rain and wet field conditions.

Wright Stats starter Jesse Scholtens started the opener and allowed three runs, one of which was earned, in the first inning, but blanked the Penguins the rest of the game and retired the final 14 batters he faced. Game two starter Robby Sexton did not allow a run on three hits over six innings.

In game one, YSU (7-25, 2-11) led 3-1 after an inning before Wright State scored the final six runs of the contest.

Sean Murphy walked and scored on a fielder’s choice in the top of the first to give Wright State a 1-0 lead, but the Penguins answered with three runs in their half of the inning. Alex Larivee kickstarted the offense with a one-out single, and he scored two batters later on Andrew Kendrick’s single to left field. Billy Salem and Kendrick then scored when Gerrad Rohan reached on an error.

The first three Raiders reached to start the second inning, and all three scored to give Wright State a 4-3 lead. Gabe Snyder hit a two-run single to right that tied the score, and John Brodner scored the go-ahead run when Murphy grounded into a double play.

WSU (26-12, 11-3) scored twice in the fourth to go up 6-3, and they added an insurance run in the ninth for the final tally.

Youngstown State got two hits in the third that were stranded, and Anthoy Rohan’s leadoff single in the fourth was the final hit that Scholtens allowed. YSU’s next hit came on Web Charles’ one-out single in the ninth.

In his first career start, Jesse Slinger allowed six runs, five of which were earned, on seven hits and six walks in five innings. Joel Hake came in with a runner on in the sixth and allowed a run on two hits in four innings.

Scholtens allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out nine batters in 7 2/3 innings. Logan Blair recorded the final four outs for the Raiders to earn his third save.

In game two, YSU starter Collin Floyd allowed three straight singles to start the game but settled in to keep the Penguins in the game. Mitch Roman had the third consecutive base hit to start the game on a well-placed bunt single that brought in Murphy. Floyd allowed an unearned run in the third and another unearned run in the fifth as Wright State went ahead 3-0.

Floyd pitched into the seventh inning for the first time in his career, but Wright State had three straight hits off the freshman lefty to start the inning to force YSU to go to the bullpen. Jared Wight came in, and the Raiders proceeded to score seven times.

YSU will host Oakland in another Horizon League doubleheader at 1 p.m. today.