Sunday, April 26, 2009

Behind the pitching of Bryce Shafer (Wabash, Ind./Northfield H.S.), Valparaiso defeated Wright State 2-1 in the nightcap of Sunday’s doubleheader at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio to salvage a split of the twinbill after the Raiders took the opener 16-1.

Shafer went eight strong innings to earn his sixth win (6-2) of the season, allowing just one unearned run and scattered nine hits.  He struck out seven and walked just two.

“Shafer did it again,” head coach Tracy Woodson said.  “He continues to pitch well.”

Wright State (21-22, 9-7 Horizon) struck first scoring an unearned run in the second inning on a Garret Gray double following a Crusader fielding error.

Valpo got the run back in the third as Josh Wallace (Bellefountaine, Ohio/Bellefountaine H.S.) singled with two outs to score Kyle Muhlsteff (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza H.S.) and tie the game.

The Crusaders took the lead in the sixth with an unearned run of their own.  Andrew Quinnette’s (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo H.S.) single through the left side scored Matt Lenski (Milwaukee, Wis./Marquette University H.S.).  Valpo looked to add on with the bases loaded and just one out, but a fly out and strikeout ended the inning.

Jarad Miller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll H.S.) came on in the ninth for his 10th save of the season.

“Miller did a nice job of closing for us,” added Woodson.

Lenski, Wallace, and Steven Scoby (Denton, Mich./Kellogg H.S.) each had two hits for the Crusaders in game two as part of Valpo’s nine-hit attack.  For Scoby, he extended his hitting streak to nine straight games.

Michael Meintel suffered the loss (1-3) in relief for Wright State, allowing the one unearned run that was the difference.

In the opener, Wright State jumped on top early with three runs in both the second and third innings while adding two more in the fifth to take an 8-0 lead.

Muhlsteff homered to lead off the sixth for Valpo, one of just five hits for the Crusaders in the game, to provide the only offense in game one.  He had three hits for the Brown and Gold in the contest.

The Raiders added a run in the seventh and seven more in the eighth, three of which were unearned, to coast to the win.  Three Wright State hitters had three hits a piece as part of a 21-hit attack.

Rylan Ostrosky earned the win (5-3), allowing just one run and five hits in 6.2 innings of work.  Alex Berry (Olney, Ill./East Richland H.S.) suffered the loss (2-5), allowing eight runs, six earned, and nine hits in five innings.

Valparaiso (19-19, 7-8) will return to Emory G. Bauer Field on Tuesday afternoon to host Bradley.  First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. with all the action carried live on sportsjuice.com.