Wright State Captures Baseball Championship

Wright State defeated Valparaiso 7-2 on Saturday afternoon at Nischwitz Stadium to win the 2016 Horizon League Baseball Championship.

The Raiders are tournament champions for the second consecutive season and are the first Horizon League team since Valparaiso in 2012 to win both the regular season and tournament championship.

Caleb Sampen picked up the win for the Raiders as he threw a complete game. The Horizon League Freshman of the Year scattered seven hits across nine innings and stuck out seven while allowing just two earned runs.

After a scoreless first inning, the Raiders pounced on Valparaiso pitcher Dalton Lundeen in the second inning to grab a 4-0 lead. Lundeen, who picked up the win for the Crusaders on Wednesday and was pitching on just two days rest, had recorded two outs in the second inning when the trouble started. With Gabe Snyder on first, he gave up a single to JD Orr and then both players advanced a base on a wild pitch. John Brodner singled up the middle to score Orr and Snyder and after a Matt Morrow single, Brodner and Morrow scored Mitch Roman doubled to left center field.In the third inning, Wright State again struck with two outs to add to its lead.  Orr extended the lead to 5-0 with a single to score Sean Murphy. Brodner then added to his RBI total with a single to score Orr and Snyder.

Valparaiso scored one run in the fifth and sixth inning, but could never dent the Wright State lead any further.

Brodner went 2-for-4 in the game and finished with 4 RBI. Snyder went 3-for-4 and scored two runs. Orr and Roman both recorded two hits for the Raiders.

James Stea led the Valpo offense with two hits in the game.

Brodner was named Tournament MVP after batting .417 in the three games of the tournament and recording 5 RBI.

Wright State will represent the Horizon League in the NCAA Tournament and will learn its NCAA destination on Monday at noon. The College Baseball Selection show will air on ESPNU.

2016 Horizon League Baseball All-Tournament Team
P – Robby Sexton, Wright State
P – Caleb Sampen, Wright State
C – Daulton Varsho, Milwaukee
1B – Gabe Snyder, Wright State
2B – Chase Dawson, Valparaiso
SS – Cody Bohanek, UIC
3B – John Brodner, Wright State
OF – Nolan Lodden, Valparaiso
OF – JD Orr, Wright State
OF – James Stea, Valparaiso
DH – Daniel Delaney, Valparaiso
Tournament MVP: John Brodner, Wright State