Wright State used big innings in both games of Friday’s doubleheader to win a pair of games against Valparaiso by the scores of 11-1 and 10-4 at Emory G. Bauer Field.

“We didn’t come out to play today,” head coach Tracy Woodson said.  “We didn’t compete and it is very disappointing.”

The Raiders jumped on top in game one and rode the game pitching performance by Alex Kaminsky.  The right-hander scattered just five hits and struck out five while not walking a batter in the complete game victory (3-3).

Wright State scored first in the top of the second inning as Ryan Ashe singled home Tristan Moore before a seven run fifth broke the game open.  Aaron Fields opened the inning with a solo homer and added a two-run single in his second at bat of the frame as 13 Raiders came to the plate in the inning. 

Three more runs crossed the plate in the top of the seventh before Valpo finally broke onto the scoreboard.  Back-to-back singles by Justin Frane (Huntertown, Ind./Carroll H.S.) and Kyle Gaedele (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows H.S.) put runners on the corners to lead off the inning.  Robbie Robinson (Brea, Calif./Olinda H.S.) drove home Frane on a sacrifice fly to account for Valpo’s lone tally.

Gaedele had two of Valpo’s five hits in the opener while three different Raiders tallied three hits each as part of a 17-hit attack.  Bryce Shafer (Wabash, Ind./Northfield H.S.) suffered the loss (5-4), allowing eight runs and 11 hits in 4.2 innings of work.

In game two Wright State took advantage of three Valpo errors in the top of the first to crack the scoreboard.  The Raiders manufactured another run in the third on a lead-off double by Casey McGrew, who went 5-for-5 in the nightcap and 8-for-9 on the afternoon.  Following a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly plated McGrew.

Four more runs crossed the plate in the fourth, including a two-run double by McGrew, as Wright State pushed its advantage to 6-0.

Valpo cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth.  A lead-off walk to Frane was followed by back-to-back singles by Gaedele and Robinson to score the first run.  Two more singles followed, one by Paul Heinkel (Fond du Lac, Wis./Winnebago Lutheran Academy) and another by Billy Cribbs (Rochester, Mich./Rochester H.S.), each of which scored runs.  Valpo still had runners on first and second with no one out, but a popped up bunt and a fly out into a double play ended the threat.

A two-run double by Jake Hibberd in the sixth made it 8-3 Raiders and Wright State added single runs in the eighth and ninth.  Damon McCormick (Louisville, Ky./Saint Xavier H.S.) hit a solo homerun with one out in the ninth for Valpo to close the scoring.

Jordan Marker earned the victory (1-1) for Wright State (18-15, 8-3 Horizon), pitching 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits.  Jon Gulbransen (Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran H.S.) suffered the loss (3-3) for Valpo, allowing eight runs, seven of which were earned, and 12 hits in six innings. 

Gaedele and McCormick each had two hits for Valpo in the night cap, as Valpo tallied eight on the game.  WrightState had 16 hits as part of a 33-hit doubleheader.

“We have to compete for an entire nine innings, and we didn’t today,” Woodson said.  “We need to come out and do that on Sunday.”

Valparaiso (17-21, 5-3) will return to action on Sunday afternoon, hosting UIC at Emory G. Bauer Field.  First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 12 p.m.