March 24, 2009

ATHENS, Ga. - It will go down as arguably the biggest win in program history as the Wright State baseball team topped #1-ranked Georgia, 8-5 at Foley Field on the UGA campus on Tuesday evening. A seven run fourth inning propelled the Green and Gold, while Tyler Newhart, Travis LaMar and Michael Schum held the Bulldogs offense at bay.

The game didn't start out well for Newhart as Rich Poythress hit a two run home run in the first inning to give Georgia a 2-0 lead.

The Raiders answered big in the fourth inning as they tallied seven runs on four hits and benefited from one UGA error. Jake Hibberd drove in the first RBI of the frame on a bunt single, followed by an RBI fielder's choice from Aaron Fields to tie the game. After a Kory Twede single loaded the bases, Ryan Ashe plated an RBI with a ground out and R.J. Gundolff walked to re-load the bases. Casey McGrew walked to drive in the fourth run and a balk pushed WSU ahead 5-2. Mercer then singled for the second time in the inning and WSU's lead was 7-2 against the top-ranked team in the nation.

After the first inning home run, Newhart retired 15 of the next 17 batters before issuing a walk with one out in the sixth. The sixth saw Georgia rally with three runs off of the Raiders starting pitcher, before Travis LaMar relieved Newhart with WSU leading 7-5.

LaMar got the final out of the sixth and WSU scored a run in the top of the seventh when Hibberd tripled to left-center field to score Garrett Gray from first.

With the Wright State lead at 8-5, LaMar worked into trouble in the seventh. The Bulldogs put runners on second and third with no outs in the frame when a ground ball to third base cut down the lead runner at the plate. With runners on the corners and one out, Michael Schum came on in relief of LaMar and got a double play to end the threat.

Another double play ended the eighth inning and Schum got a pair of ground outs and a fly ball out in the ninth to close the door on his third save of the season.

Newhart picked up his first collegiate win in the game, tossing a career-high 5.2 innings and allowing five runs on only five hits. He fanned two and the only the runners that passed second base in the game were the five that scored.

Schum threw the final 2.2 innings to collect his third save of the season. The freshman allowed one hit - a single - and walked one, while striking out a batter in his 12^th appearance of the season.

WSU watched as five freshmen started the game and a freshman closed things out on the mound to give the Raiders the win. Ashe, Hibberd and Mercer each collected two hits in the game, with Hibberd and Mercer tacking on two RBI's apiece. Eight different Raiders scored runs in the contest and seven of the nine starters collected hits.

The Raiders improve to 10-12 overall on the season and will close out their midweek road trip with a Wednesday night contest at Vanderbilt. The Raiders and Commodores will take to the field for a 7:00 first pitch in Nashville.

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