Box Score The Wright State baseball team pounded out a season-high 21 hits in their 17-9 victory at Butler on Friday afternoon. All nine WSU starters collected a hit in the contest and seven players collected multiple hits against the Bulldogs.
WSU jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with four runs in the first inning and two runs in the second. Gerald Ogrinc drove in a pair of RBI's with a double in the first, while Jeff Mercer and Ross Vagedes each collected an RBI in the opening frame.
Butler (7-18, 3-7 HL) would score four runs in the fourth inning, but WSU would add a pair of runs in the fifth to hold their lead at 8-4. After Butler plated two more runs in their half of the fifth, WSU would tally four runs in the sixth inning.
Jon Durket got the start for WSU and tossed four innings and allowed six runs, only four earned, on seven hits. Scott Ruthven came on in the fourth inning and would toss the remainder of the contest.
In the sixth, John Kopilchack smacked a solo home run to open the scoring and after a walk to R.J. Gundolff, Aaron Fields was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Justin Parker stepped in and smacked his fifth home run of the season, a line drive to left-center field to push WSU back to a six run lead at 12-6.
WSU would tally four more runs in the eighth inning and another in the ninth to account for their 17 runs.
Ruthven would surrender a run in the eight and two in the ninth to close out his third victory of the season. In five innings of work, Ruthven (3-1) struck out five and allowed three runs, two earned, while walking only one batter.
Casey McGrew and Hamilton each chipped in four hits in the contest and scored three runs apiece. Parker drove in four RBI's, while Ogrinc collected three RBI's in the contest.
Wright State improves to 13-15 overall and is now 5-4 in Horizon League play with the victory in the series opener at Butler. The Raiders and Bulldogs will take to the field for a doubleheader starting at Noon at Bulldog Park.
