Late Inning Rally Leads Baseball Past Youngstown State

Sunday, April 22

Niles, OH

1:00 PM

Wright State University

21-14, 14-7

Youngstown State

12-24, 5-11

Youngstown State

Wright State

Late Inning Rally Leads Baseball Past Youngstown State

4/22/2007 12:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: WSU Athletic Media Relations

The Wright State baseball team took a 9-5 decision from Youngstown State in the series finale at Eastwood Field. The Raiders were powered by Jeremy Hamilton's four-for-five day at the plate and a pair of three-hit games from Dan Biedenharn and Justin Parker.

The Raiders and Penguins each tallied a run in the first inning, with YSU plating their run on a wild pitch and Wright State using an error to plate their first tally.

YSU added a run in the second and three unearned runs in the third inning to race out to a 5-1 lead. In the third, the Penguins used four singles and an error by WSU shortstop Ross Oeder to push their lead to four runs.

Scott Ruthven got his first start of the season in the game and lasted three innings, before hitting the leadoff batting in the fourth. Ruthven handed the ball to Jason Bennion who coaxed a double play ball and a fly out to get out of the inning.

The Raiders got a pair of runs in the fourth inning off YSU starting pitcher Chuck Schiffhauer. Hamilton led off the inning with his third home run of the series, a 380 foot shot to left-center field, to start the inning for WSU. Parker followed that with a single, stealing second, and scored on a Brian Shoup double.

Wright State added another run in the fifth inning when Biedenharn and Hamilton singled, putting runners on the corners with two outs. Parker then laced an RBI single into center field to score Biedenharn and pull WSU within one run at 5-4.

The Green and Gold then took the lead with two more runs in the seventh inning, ending the day for Schiffhauer. The inning started with a Biedenharn double, followed by an RBI single from Hamilton and a single from Parker. Casey McGrew sacrificed the duo to second and third, followed by a sacrifice fly from Shoup.

With Wright State leading 6-5, Bennion allowed a bunt single to start the inning and recorded the first out on a sacrifice bunt. After YSU pinch hit a right-handed hitter, the Raiders brought in Nate Stevens who retired the next batter on a ground out and struck out the final batter of the inning to hold the lead.

The Raiders added top their lead in the eighth inning with three runs off of two YSU pitchers. Gerald Ogrinc led the inning off with a triple to deep center field and scored on a John Kopilchack triple to right-center field. Oeder reached on a fielders choice, as Kopilchack was out at home, moved to second on a balk and scored on a single from Biedenharn. Hamilton then doubled for the 19th time this season to plate Biedenharn and give WSU a 9-5 lead.

Stevens threw a perfect ninth to record his second save of the season and Bennion improved to 3-1 overall in 2007.

Hamilton continued his assault on the Penguins with a four-for-fie day at the plate, driving in three RBI's, as he homered and doubled in the contest. Parker and Biedenharn each pounded out two hits and drove in an RBI in the contest. Oeder scored a pair of runs to push his league-leading total to 49 runs.

The Raiders, who were designated the home team after the finale was snowed out in Dayton, won three of four games this weekend and took the season series 5-1 over YSU.

The Green and Gold improve to 21-14 overall this season and picked up their 14 victory in the Horizon League. The Raiders are 14-7 in league play and will next be in action on Tuesday. The Raiders play at Dayton on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 and then take on Cedarville at 7:00 at Nischwitz Stadium on Tuesday, April 24.