The Wright State baseball team started the game with a lead at Arkansas, but another late rally allowed the game to slip away from the Raiders in a 7-3 loss. WSU entered the bottom of the seventh inning knotted at three runs with the Razorbacks, but four runs in the inning put the game out of reach for WSU.

The Raiders jumped in front first for the third straight game against the Razorbacks, plating one run in the first inning. Brian Adams walks, Jeff Mercer drove in Adams from third with a sacrifice fly to center field and WSU led 1-0.

The Raiders tacked on their second run in the fifth inning on a dropped fly ball by the UA right fielder. Ross Vagedes singled with one out in the inning and John Kopilchack sent a high fly ball into right field that was dropped, allowing Vagedes to score and push WSU out to a 2-0 lead.

Freshman Michael Meintel got the starting nod on the mound and held the Razorback scoreless through the first four innings. In the fifth, a lead off double was followed by a pair of fly ball outs, one moving the runner to third base. A come-backer to Meintel bounced off his out-stretched glove and allowed the runner to score from first to cut the WSU lead to 2-1.

Meintel was relieved to start the sixth inning by sophomore Alex Kaminsky. The rookie threw five innings in his first collegiate start and allowed only three hits. He fanned three batters, walked only one and allowed only one base runner to reach third base in the no decision.

Arkansas tied the game in the sixth as Logan Forsythe double to start the inning and Brett Eibner walked to put two runners on with two outs. For the second straight game, Aaron Murphree came up with the big hit in the sixth inning. Murphree doubled into the left-center field gap to plate a pair of runs and give Arkansas a 3-2 lead.

The Raiders tied the ball game at 3-3 in the seventh inning as Gerald Ogrinc doubled to right center with one out to start the inning. After a walk to Vagedes, the tying run crossed the plate on a two-out, RBI single up the middle.

Arkansas rallied late in the seventh inning to take a 5-3 lead on WSU relief pitcher Jon Durket as Andy Wilkins collected two RBI's on a bases loaded single into right field. Jacob House then added a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 7-3 and ended the outing for Durket.

The loss was pinned on Durket (0-1) who threw one-third of an inning and allowed four runs on four hits. He walked a batter and struck out a batter in the appearance before giving way to freshman Lee Valencheck. The right-hander recorded the final five outs in the game with one strikeout.

Leading the way on offense for WSU was Mercer who singled and drove in an RBI in the contest. Kopilchack also singled and recorded an RBI, while Justin Parker extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the first inning. Ogrinc and Vagedes accounted for the other two Raiders hits in the game and each scored a run.

Wright State is now 0-3 overall and will return to the diamond on Tuesday, February 26 as they travel to the state of Kentucky to play Louisville. WSU and the Cardinals will take to field for a 3:00 first pitch at Patterson Stadium.