TOLEDO, OH - Garrett Gray's two-out single in the 10th inning lifted Wright State to a 5-4 victory over Toledo on Wednesday at sunny Scott Park. With the non-conference loss, the Rockets fall to 17-20 on the season.
WSU's (24-12) Ryan Ashe started the game-winning rally with a single up the middle off UT freshman RHP Andrew Marra. The Raiders' centerfielder was then moved into scoring position on a balk by Marra, before Gray laced a two-strike hit just out of the reach of freshman shortstop Nate Langhals to drive in the deciding run.
Marra (1-1) was tagged with his first loss of the spring, allowing one run on two hits in 2.0 innings of relief.
Junior RHP Jared Locke drew the start and was efficient over the over 5.0 frames, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits with a pair of punchouts in a no-decision. Freshman RHP Alec Schmenk came on in relief and worked the next 2.0 scoreless frames, while senior RHP Lincoln Rassi toed the rubber for a flawless 1.0 inning.
Offensively, UT was limited to six hits by a quartet of Wright State pitchers. Freshman 3B Anthony Smith (2-for-4, 2 RBI) led the attack with two hits and two RBI.
The Raiders opened the scoring with four runs in the third frame. WSU benefitted from a pair of walks by Locke, two costly UT errors and a bases loaded balk to claim the early advantage. The visitors sent seven batters to the plate in the inning and received run-scoring hits off the bats of Ryan Ashe and Zach Tanner.
UT quickly retaliated with a pair of runs in the fourth inning on a two-out single by Smith to cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
The Rockets added a pair of tallies in the fifth frame to draw the score even at 4-4. The home team took advantage of a hit by pitch and a two-base throwing error to complete the comeback. Langhals was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and senior 2B Joe Corfman followed with an infield single to put a pair of runners on base. Freshman LF Dan Zuchowski then laid down a well-executed sacrifice bunt that WSU third baseman Tanner threw away at first base, allowing Langhals to score all the way from second. Senior CF Ben Hammer followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to account for the other run and even the score.
Toledo continued to put up good at-bats in the middle innings and came within inches of taking the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Smith collected a two-out single to get things going and Langhals ripped a two-base hit down the left field line. The Hinckley, OH native tried to circle the bases and give the home its first lead of the contest, but a perfectly executed relay from WSU left fielder Cody Simon to third baseman Tanner onto catcher Corey Davis erased him down at the plate.
The score remainded the same until the 10th frame when WSU took advantage of back-to-back, two-out hits and an untimely UT balk to defeat its intrastate rivals at home.
Wright State's Jordan Marker (5-1) was credited with the win, allowing only one hit with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
Michael Schum registered the final out in the first extra inning to register his team-high eighth save of the spring.
Tristan Moore, Ashe and Tanner paced the victors with two hits each.
The Rockets will return to the diamond this weekend, April 20-22, with a three-game series against MAC West Division rival Northern Illinois at Ralph McKinzie Field. Friday's first pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m. (CT), while Saturday's and Sunday's games will start at 1:00 p.m. (CT).
