Baseball Takes Frigid Doubleheader from Youngstown State

Sunday, April 8

Nischwitz Stadium

1:00 PM

Wright State University

12-11, 6-4

Youngstown State (Game 1)

10-16, 3-4

Youngstown State

Wright State

Baseball Takes Frigid Doubleheader from Youngstown State

4/8/2007 12:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: WSU Athletic Media Relations

The Wright State baseball team swept a double-header from Youngstown State at Nischwitz Stadium on a frigid Sunday afternoon. The Raiders rallied from a 5-3 deficit to win game one 7-5, before taking game two 9-0.

In game one, the Raiders fell behind early as Youngstown State plated a run in the first inning. WSU starter Erich Schanz hit the leadoff batter and walked the second batter of the game, but the Penguins could only plate one run, an Erich Diedrich sacrifice fly, to take a 1-0 lead.

The Penguins, now 10-17, 3-5 in league play, added a pair of unearned runs in the third inning to push their lead 3-0.

The Raiders added single runs in the third and fourth innings to cut the deficit to 3-2. Nick Allsop plated the second run of the game with a sacrifice fly.

Schanz surrendered two more runs in the seventh inning, allowing YSU to extend their lead to 5-2, before the WSU offense mounted their comeback.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Oeder got things started for Wright State with a two-out single up the middle and Dan Biedenharn smacked his first home run of the season to pull WSU within a run at 5-4.

Then in the eighth, Nick Allsop, sliding into home just before the ball reached the plate. Brian Shoup the grounded out to the first baseman, moving Allsop to second, and Stephen Marquez was hit by a pitch to two runners on with two outs. With the game tied, John Kopilchack ripped a double to left-center field to plate both runners and give WSU a 7-5 lead.

Schanz, now 3-3 on the season, was relieved by Nate Stevens to start the ninth inning, ending his day after eight innings of work. Schanz allowed five runs, only three earned, allowed six hits and struck out two.

Stevens walked the only batter he faced, giving way to senior Jason Bennion. Bennion retired the final three batters to collect his fourth save of the season and preserve the Raiders victory.

Offensively, four players collected two hits for the Raiders and Allsop recorded two RBI's in the contest. Justin Parker, Oeder, Kopilchack and McGrew all pitched in two hits as WSU outhit the Penguins 11-6.

The Raiders jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second game, when Brian Shoup belted his second home run of the season in the second inning. Shoup took the first offering from YSU starter Adam Kalafos and sent it 392 feet over the scoreboard in right field to put WSU ahead.

In the third inning, Casey McGrew chopped a ground ball over the pitchers head for a single, scoring Hamilton. McGrew advanced to third on a Shoup single and scored on a Stephen Marquez fielders choice to push WSU's lead to 3-0.

The Green and Gold tacked on six runs in the fifth inning, ended the day for Kalafos, and pushed their lead to 9-0. The Raiders sent ten batters to the plate in the inning, as Shoup and Kopilchack each recorded RBI's and Biedenharn and Marquez each tallied two RBI's.

WSU starter Kyle Keacher threw eight shutout innings and allowed only three hits in the start. Kearcher didn't walk a batter and struck out four to collect his league-leading fifth win of the season. Kearcher tied his career high with five wins, matching the five victories from his freshman season, and leads the Raiders with a 2.49 ERA.

Ross Vagedes made his first appearance since March 10 of last season, throwing a scoreless ninth inning to maintain the shutout. Vagedes struck out one batter and allowed a hit in the appearance.

In game two, five players posted multi-hit games and three Raiders drove in multiple RBI's in the contest. Marquez drove in three runs, while Biedenharn and Shoup each tallied a pair of RBI's. All nine Raider starters collected a hit and seven players scored at least one run in the contest.

Wright State improves to 13-11 on the season and now has a 7-4 record in the Horizon League. The Green and Gold will next face league foe Butler at Nischwitz Stadium on Tuesday, April 10, in a doubleheader starting at 3:30.