DAYTON – The Wright State baseball team defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 5-1 on Friday afternoon. The Raiders are now 23-18 on the season and 12-7 in the Horizon League. The series will continue Saturday, April 26 at 2:00 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to celebrate Raidergang graduates.
Game 2 - Saturday, April 27 - 2:00 p.m. - Live Stats | Graduation Celebration
The Raiders finished with five runs on 13 hits with seven walks against their three strikeouts. They were led by
Sammy Sass's three hits, followed by
Luke Arnold,
Patrick Fultz, and
Julian Greenwell each recording two hits.
Gus Gregory,
Jay Luikart,
Andrew Patrick, and
Ben Vore each added one hit on the day. The Raiders had three extra-base hits, with a double each by Fultz and Sass, and a Vore home run. Gregory and Sass both added a sacrifice hit, while Greenwell and Vore both recorded a sacrifice fly.
Wright State opened the day with a 3-0 lead within the first two innings. Greenwell was the first to cross home plate, scoring on a throwing error in the bottom of the first. Patrick was walked in the bottom of the second, stealing second base, and scoring on a Fultz double to right center. After advancing to third on an Arnold single, Fultz scored on a Greenwell sacrifice fly.
The Mastodons added their only run in the top of the third, scoring on a single to center field. Wright State retaliated, regaining their three-run lead with a solo home run to left field by Vore. The fourth and fifth innings saw little action, with only two hits coming in the two innings, those being singles to left field by Greenwell and Sass in the fourth. The Raiders added their final run in the bottom of the sixth, as Gregory reached on a single, advancing to second after Greenwell was walked, and to third on a Sass sacrifice bunt, scoring on a Vore sacrifice fly. The Raider pitching staff held PFW to no hits in the seventh and eighth, with only one hit in the ninth.
Starting pitcher
Jake Shirk (3-3) earned the win after putting in six innings on the mound, allowing only one run with four hits and two walks, striking out four batters.
Garrett Peters (S, 3) closed the game and was awarded the save after allowing no runs with one hit and two walks and four batters struck out.
Starting pitcher Mac Ayers (1-5) was charged with the loss after allowing five runs on ten hits with three walks and one batter struck out. The 'Dons finished with one run on five hits with four walks against their eight strikeouts. They were led by Jackson Micheels with two hits and one RBI.
