Box Score DAYTON – The Wright State baseball team fell short to Akron 11-7 on Tuesday afternoon. The Raiders are now 11-9 on the season and will play again in a three-game series at Purdue Fort Wayne, beginning Friday, March 22.
The Raiders finished the day with seven runs on eight hits with five walks against their nine strikeouts.
Patrick Fultz,
Nate Manley, and
Boston Smith led the team with two hits each, followed by
Jay Luikart and
Dane Thomas adding one each. The Raiders had five extra-base hits, including two doubles by Thomas, a Smith triple, a home run by Luikart, and two homers by Manley. Thomas and
Ben Vore each reached base on walks twice, and Manley once.
It was a slow start for Wright State, as they went hitless in the first three innings. The Raiders' first runs of the game came in the fourth, as Smith tripled to right center, being sent home by a Fultz single. The first of Manley's two home runs sent him and Fultz to score. The Raider's three-run fourth was preceded by Akron adding nine to the board in the first four innings. The Zips hit double-figure runs in the fifth, 10-3.
Luikart put up his homer in the fifth, sending Vore and himself across home plate. Akron followed with a home run of their own. Manley returned with his second home run of the day, recording the Raider's sixth run in the bottom of the sixth. Lowering the Zips' lead 11-7 was Thomas with a double to right field. Duke Benge entered to pitch for the Raiders in the eighth, preventing Akron from scoring any runs in the final two innings of the game.
Joey Valentine (0-1) was charged with the loss after opening the second innings and allowing five runs on three hits with two walks in two third innings on the mound. Benge notably pitched two innings, allowing no runs or hits with one strikeout. Starting pitcher
Garret Simpson pitched the first inning, allowing no runs or hits with two strikeouts.
Emmett Gillies (1-0) was awarded the win after pitching in the fifth inning, allowing two runs on one hit with one strikeout. The Zips finished the day with 11 runs on 11 hits with four walks against their six strikeouts. They were led by Austin Lafferty's five RBI on two hits, including a triple in the second.
