Raiders set for B1G midweek battle with the Buckeyes

Tuesday, March 24

5 PM

Wright State University

Ohio State

Photo by: Addyson Olsen

3/23/2026 6:00:00 PM | Baseball

DAYTON- The Wright State baseball team (8-12, 3-0 HL) will continue its 10-game homestand Tuesday evening as they welcome in-state rival Ohio State to Nischwitz Stadium. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m., and the first 100 fans through the gate will receive a Wright State baseball t-shirt.

The game will be available to stream on ESPN+ with Chris Collins and Bob Grote on the call. Live stats will also be provided.

GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, Mar. 24 – WATCH (ESPN+) | LIVE STATS

PROJECTED STARTER
Tuesday- Cooper Robinson, RHP

HISTORY VS. OHIO STATE
In-state rivals, Wright State and Ohio State, will meet for the 50^th time Tuesday evening at Nischwitz Stadium. A series the Raiders trail 21-26-1 all-time. The two teams met in Columbus a season ago, with the Raiders falling 2-18. The last time Ohio State came to Nischwitz Stadium, the Raiders came out on top 14-13.

SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State enters Tuesday at 10-12 on the season and 1-5 in Big 10 play. The Buckeyes are riding a four-game win streak after sweeping Butler last weekend and defeating Xavier 8-4 a week ago.

LAST TIME OUT
Wright State walked off the Milwaukee Panthers Sunday afternoon to clinch its first series sweep of the season, winning 6-5.

For the second consecutive day, Milwaukee opened the scoring with a solo shot, with today's coming off the bat of Charlie Marion.

Andrew Duncan would get the Raiders on the board in the bottom of the third with an RBI single up the middle that scored Braylen Blomquist and tied the game at one run apiece.

Wright State would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to JP Peltier. The junior served a double out to left that scored Patrick Fultz and then stole home a few batters later to give the Raiders a 3-1 lead. Hunter Warren would extend the lead in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single of his own.

Chet Lax made his third consecutive Sunday start and turned in another gem. The left-hander pitched 6.1 innings, allowing just two runs on two hits while striking out five Panthers. Lax then turned the ball over to Malachi Paplanus, who pitched 2.1 innings out of the bullpen, allowing two runs on no hits while striking out two. Michael Zielinski would be the last man out of the Wright State bullpen and picked up the first win of his collegiate career.

Milwaukee would get one run in the top of the seventh and three runs in the top of the ninth to come all the way back to lead the Raiders 5-4 entering the bottom of the ninth.

Wright State strung together quality at-bats in the bottom half of the inning to come back and walk off the Panthers. Warren and Fultz led off the winning with back-to-back infield singles, Peltier walked, and Brett Denby served a sacrifice fly out to right field to tie the game. Keegan Holmstrom followed up the sac fly with a walk of his own before passing the baton to Zac Butler. The catcher then worked a six-pitch walk to bring home Fultz from third and secure the series sweep for the Raiders.

#HLBASE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Wright State right-hander Michael Bilo has been named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday. Bilo was nails in relief for the Raiders in Saturday's 8-4 win over Milwaukee. The right-hander pitched three shutout innings, no-hitting Milwaukee while striking out five Panthers en route to his first save of the season.

HOT START TO THE HORIZON LEAGUE
Wright State swept Milwaukee over the weekend to open Horizon League play. This marks the fourth straight year the Raiders have opened conference play with a series win. Wright State has also swept its Horizon League opener for the second consecutive year after sweeping Oakland a season ago.

RANKED WINS
Wright State has picked up a pair of wins over ranked opponents so far this season. The Raiders upset No. 6 Georgia 6-4 during opening weekend, then defeated No. 19 Tennessee last weekend 6-0. This is the first time the Raiders have picked up multiple ranked wins since they won three ranked wins in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, defeating No. 1 Louisville 10-3 before defeating No. 11 Tennessee twice, taking the series opener 5-4 and the series finale 6-3

BUY STOCK NOW
In its conference preview, D1Baseball selected a pair of Raiders to take home specialty awards in the Horizon League. JP Peltier was selected as the preseason Player of the Year, while Cam Allen was selected as the preseason Pitcher of the Year.

D1Baseball also identified 10 Raiders as top draft prospects out of the Horizon League for the 2025 and 2026 MLB Draft. Cam Allen was selected as the top prospect for the 2026 draft, along with Andrew Duncan, Griffen Paige, JP Peltier, Warren Hartzell, and Cam Gilkerson. Sophomores JJ Thompson, Abe Crall, and Malachi Paplanus were identified as top prospects for the 2027 draft.

RAIDERS RUNNING IT BACK
In the era of the transfer portal, where many teams lose so much talent year-to-year, Wright State has recruited talent and kept them in Dayton. The Raiders returned 65% of their total production from a season ago, when factored by total points (fantasy baseball points calculation done by D1Baseball), the Raiders rank ninth in total returning production. The Raidergang return 56% of their roster from a season ago, 64% of their plate appearances, and 55% of their innings pitched. Wright State has brought back six lineup mainstays from a season ago, as well as two of its three weekend starters.

SCOUTING THE 2026 SQUAD
The Raidergang returns 20 players from a season ago while adding 19 newcomers (10 transfers and nine true freshmen). The squad consists of five seniors, nine juniors, nine sophomores, and 16 freshmen.

The roster features a strong in-state contingent, with 54% (21 players) from Ohio. But the Raiders also recruit well nationally, with 13 other states being represented in the roster. The other 13 states include California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.

UP NEXT
Wright State will continue its 10-game home stand this weekend as Oakland visits Dayton. The Raiders and Golden Grizzlies will face off at 3 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday.