Raiders Set for Showdown in Joe Nuxhall Classic

DAYTON – The Wright State baseball team is set to compete in the annual Joe Nuxhall Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday. Four teams – Wright State, Cincinnati, Miami (OH), and Xavier – will play at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio.

Wright State faces Cincinnati at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, following the Miami vs. Xavier matchup earlier that afternoon. The winners and losers will meet again on Wednesday, with the consolation game at 2 p.m. and the championship at 6 p.m. All four games will stream on Chatterbox Sports, with live stats available.

WSU vs. UC - Tuesday, April 8 – 6:00 p.m. – Live Stats – Watch

LAST TIME OUT
Wright State is coming off a series win at Northern Kentucky, defeating the Norse 19-5 and 9-6 before falling in the finale, 7-4.

The Raiders hit .286 as a team, led by Hunter Warren, who slashed .462/.558/1.000. He tallied six hits — five for extra bases — including four doubles and a home run, driving in nine runs. JP Peltier followed with five hits, including three doubles, and four RBI.

Three Raiders — Luke Arnold, Braylen Blomquist, and Boston Smith — recorded four hits each. Arnold notched two extra-base hits (a double and a homer) with five RBI, while Smith had three extra-base hits: one double and two home runs.

On the mound, WSU struck out 41 batters across the three-game series. Cam Allen led the way with a career-high nine strikeouts in five innings. Garrett Peters earned the series-clinching win with 3.1 hitless, scoreless innings, striking out eight — five looking — and closing with a dominant three-strikeout ninth.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati enters the matchup 19-12 overall and 6-6 in Big 12 play. The Bearcats recently won a road series at Texas Tech, taking the first two games 8-7 (12 innings) and 8-1 before dropping the finale, 12-8.

UC is hitting .282 as a team, led by Kerrington Cross at .431 — 15th nationally and first in the Big 12. Cross also ranks sixth in the country in on-base percentage (.563). The Bearcats have hit 55 doubles, eight triples, and 36 home runs this season.

They also rank 25th nationally with 70 stolen bases, with Landyn Vidourek ranked 19th individually with 20 swipes.

On the mound, UC's pitching staff holds a 4.82 ERA. Nathan Taylor ranks fifth in the Big 12 with a 3.02 ERA. The Bearcats are also top-25 nationally in walks allowed per nine innings (3.43) and own a 2.52 strikeout-to-walk ratio (No. 39 nationally).

HISTORY VS. CINCINNATI
Since Wright State's first season in 1971, the Raiders lead the all-time series against Cincinnati, 47-40-1. The teams last met in the 2023 Joe Nuxhall Classic opener, where WSU came out on top, 7-6.

AN UNCONVENTIONAL START TO CONFERENCE PLAY
Wright State has had an unusual start to Horizon League play, with all four weekend series altered by inclement weather to include doubleheaders. Despite the scheduling challenges, the Raiders have won all four series, though they've split two of the doubleheaders — both while playing on the road.

PELTIER'S GOING YARD
Sophomore outfielder JP Peltier has been a consistent power threat, ranking among the nation's top home run hitters. He sits second in the Horizon League with 10 home runs and ranks No. 51 nationally in homers per game (0.36).

HEAD COACH – ALEX SOGARD
Leading the charge for Wright State is head coach Alex Sogard, who has built a powerhouse program during his tenure. After leading the Raiders to a 32-24 overall record, earning their sixth HL Regular Season title, Sogard earned his fourth Horizon League Coach of the Year honor in 2024, becoming the first to do so in program history.

His Coach of the Year awards are not the only accomplishment Sogard achieved at WSU. In 2019, Sogard took the Raiders to a 42-17 record, tallying the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history. Sogard led the Raiders to three consecutive NCAA Regional appearances, 2021-2023, being named the 2021 ABCA/ATEC East Coach of the Year. In June 2021, Sogard was named to the 2021 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team coaching staff.

BACK ON HOME TURF
Wright State returns to Nischwitz Stadium this weekend for Horizon League play, hosting Purdue Fort Wayne in a three-game series beginning Friday, April 11 at 3 p.m.

Saturday's game will feature a 90's Decade Day with themed music and walk-up songs, while Sunday includes a mini baseball bat giveaway. All three games will have live stats, with Saturday and Sunday broadcasts available on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Cam Allen

Luke Arnold

Braylen Blomquist

JP Peltier

Garrett Peters

Boston Smith

Hunter Warren

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