COLUMBUS – The Wright State baseball team fell short to Ohio State University 14-13 on Tuesday night. The Raiders are now 20-16 on the season, and will stay on the road for a three-game series against Horizon League opponent Milwaukee, April 19-21.
The Raiders finished with 13 runs on 15 hits with six walks against their nine strikeouts.
Jay Luikart led the team with four hits, tallying four RBI.
Julian Greenwell,
Gus Gregory, and
Andrew Patrick followed with two hits each, while
Patrick Fultz,
Nate Manley,
Sammy Sass,
Boston Smith, and
Ben Vore each had one hit on the day. Wright State had seven extra-base hits on the day, with a double by Gregory, Manley, and Patrick, and four home runs, two by Luikart, and one each from Smith and Vore.
Wright State opened the day with four runs in the top of the first, beginning with Vore reaching on a fielder's choice, allowing Greenwell to score. Smith followed with a three-RBI homer to right field. The Buckeyes added 13 runs in the first three innings, with six in the first, five in the second, and two in the third. A two-RBI homer by Vore in the third made the score 11-6, OSU, after three innings.
Luikart added his first home run in the top of the fourth, followed by an RBI single to left field in the sixth, sending Gregory to score. A Manley two-RBI double and Greenwell RBI-single in the seventh made it a one run game, 13-12. Luikart went yard a second time with a solo homer in the eighth, tying the game at 13. OSU added their final run of the day with a sacrifice fly, taking the game 14-13.
Closing pitcher
Kyle Kesel (0-1) was charged with the loss after entering the seventh and allowing the winning run, with one hit, one walk, and two batters struck out.
Wes Earles put in three innings of work for the Raiders, allowing no runs on two hits with one walk and two batters struck out.
Jacob Morin (4-0) earned the win for the Buckeyes after putting in one and two third innings of work, allowing two runs on three hits. Justin Eckhardt earned his sixth save on the season after pitching the final inning, allowing no runs or hits with two walks and one batter struck out. OSU finished the day with 14 runs on 16 hits with nine walks and six strikeouts. They were led by Ryan Miller's four RBI on two hits, with a two-RBI single and RBI-double.
