DAYTON – The Wright State baseball team secured their sixth consecutive Horizon League regular season title after defeating Northern Kentucky University 12-9 on Saturday afternoon. The Raiders are now 31-22 overall and 20-10 in the Horizon League.
The Raiders finished with 12 runs on 12 hits with five walks and no strikeouts.
Luke Arnold,
Patrick Fultz,
Andrew Patrick, and
Boston Smith each finished with two hits, while
Julian Greenwell,
Jay Luikart,
Sammy Sass, and
Ben Vore all added one hit on the day. Wright State's three extra-base hits were made up of a double by Sass, triple by Fultz, and a homer by Patrick. Fultz and Patrick both recorded a sacrifice hit, and Arnold a sacrifice fly.
Wright State opened the day with a six-to-nothing lead after the first inning. The six-run rally began with Greenwell reaching on a single to left field, scoring on a Sass double. Sass advanced to third on a Luikart flyout, scoring on a Vore single. Vore reached second on a stolen base, before the bases were loaded as Smith was walked and Patrick reached on an error. Fultz followed, clearing the bases with a three-RBI triple to left center. The rally ended as Fultz scored on an Arnold sacrifice fly.
The Raider pitching staff held NKU scoreless in the second and third, allowing just one hit in each inning. The Norse added a run in the top of the fourth with a homer down the right field line, and another in the top of the sixth on an RBI-double, 6-2. Wright State responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth as Patrick reached on a single, advancing to second on a Fultz sacrifice bunt, and scoring on an Arnold single, 7-2.
NKU lowered Wright State's advantage to three with a two-RBI single in the seventh, but the Raiders regained their five-run lead in the bottom of the inning, as Luikart reached base on a single to right field, stealing second, and scoring on a Smith single. Smith stole second before scoring on a Fultz single, 9-4. The Norse began a comeback rally, adding two runs in the eighth, and two more in the ninth, tying the game at nine.
Wright State's walk-off victory came as Luikart was walked, advancing on a Vore hit by pitch. Vore advanced to second on a Smith bunt, as Luikart was thrown out at third. Patrick added the final hit of the day with a three-RBI walk-off bomb.
Warren Hartzell (2-1) earned the win, entering to pitch the final one third of an inning, preventing NKU from gaining the advantage and leaving one on base. Starting pitcher
Chet Lax put in three innings of work, allowing only one run on five hits, striking out four batters.
Norse closer Nick McClanahan (2-4) was charged with the loss after allowing the game-winning three runs with two hits and one walk. The Norse finished with nine runs on 13 hits with three walks against their seven strikeouts. They were led by Mitch Wood's three hits, including two doubles.
The Raiders will be back in the Nisch on Thursday, May 23 at 11:00 a.m., in game four of the Horizon League Championship Tournament.
