DAYTON – The Wright State baseball team secured its second home win of the season, defeating Kent State 11-6 on Tuesday evening. The Raiders will kick off Horizon League play with a three-game home series against Oakland, starting Friday, March 14. All three games will have free admission and live stats, with Friday's contest available on ESPN+.
Wright State (5-9) finished with 11 runs on nine hits with 10 walks and just four strikeouts.
Nate Manley and
Hunter Warren led the way, each recording two hits and three RBI.
Cam Gilkerson and
Gus Gregory both had two RBI with one hit each, while
Luke Arnold,
Conlan Daniel, and
Patrick Fultz had a hit each. Fultz had a team-high three walks, followed by Gregory with two.
Kent State opened the scoring, putting up an RBI double in the third. The Raiders quickly responded, tying the game at one in the bottom of the inning. Arnold singled up the middle, stole second, and advanced to third on a groundout by
Dane Thomas before scoring on an RBI groundout by Gregory.
The Raiders took a six-run lead in the fourth, starting with a two-run homer to center field by Manley, making it 3-1. The scoring continued as Gilkerson reached on a walk, stealing second and advancing to third on a single by Daniel. Daniel stole second before both runners advanced on a wild pitch, putting another run on the board, 4-1. Clark and Thomas were walked, loading the bases for an RBI walk by Gregory, 5-1. Warren drove in the final two runs of the inning with a single up the middle, 7-1.
The Golden Flashes added two runs in the fifth, first on a double to right center, and another with an RBI-walk, 7-3. They lowered WSU's lead to three with an RBI-single in the sixth, but the Raiders answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. The first of four runs came as Arnold led off the sixth with a walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch before Gregory also walked. Warren had a single through the right side, advancing Gregory to third and allowing Arnold to score, 8-4. Warren moved to second as Fultz was walked to load the bases for an RBI-walk for Manley, 9-4. Gilkerson followed with a two-RBI double to right field, bringing home Fultz and Warren, 11-4. Kent State tacked on two runs in the ninth, both scoring on wild pitches, for the final 11-6 score.
Wright State starter
Malachi Paplanus pitched the first two innings, allowing no runs or hits, walking two, and striking out one. Six Raiders came out of the bullpen as
Joey Valentine (1-0) earned the win, allowing no runs on one hit in one inning. Valentine struck out two batters while walking none.
Kent State (6-8) finished with six runs on eight hits with 10 walks and six strikeouts. Jake Casey led the team with two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs without striking out. Evan Holewinski (0-1) was charged with the loss after entering in the third inning, allowing two runs on one hit with one walk.
