Wright State drops opening game at NCAA Regional

June 3, 2006

Corvallis, Ore. - After trailing 3-0 to the top seed Oregon State, visiting Wright State stormed back to push the host Beavers to the brink before falling 5-3 in the opening round of the NCAA Corvallis Regional. The Raiders scored three runs on Second Team All-American pitcher Dallas Buck and brought the game-tying run to the plate in the ninth before bowing to the fifth-ranked Beavers.

Oregon State struck in the first inning when left fielder Cole Gillespie blasted his twelfth home run of the year to left-center field off of WSU starter Robert Barrett. The Beavers held the 1-0 advantage until the fourth inning when Barrett loaded the bases with no one out, but after an infield fly to second base and a runner gunned out at the plate, the righty escaped from the inning after only two runs.

Barrett threw five innings and allowed only three runs while striking out three batters in a no decision. After five innings Barrett handed the ball to Joe Smith who threw the final three innings.

The Raiders (32-26) responded in the bottom of the sixth inning when Justin Parker started the inning with a base hit through the right side. Parker moved to second after Ross Oeder walked and the bases were loaded when Aaron Garcia singled to left field with two outs. Amin Abusaleh stepped to the plate and laced a single into left-center field and scored two runs to pull Wright State within 3-2.

The Raiders tied the game when Brian Shoup singled to start the inning, stole second base and then moved to third on a balk by the OSU starter Buck. Then with one out in the inning Parker struck with an RBI ground out to pull the score even at three.

In the eighth inning Smith started the inning out with a hits batsmen and then pounced on a sacrifice bunt attempt to turn the 1-6-3 double play. Then after hitting the next batter, who stole second, he intentionally walked the next batter to put runners on first and second. The next batter Chris Tunda poked a double into left-center field and plated both runners to give Smith his first loss of the season.

Smith threw three innings and allowed three hits and struck out one batter as he fell to 3-1 on the season. Smith has allowed only six runs in 2006, all against teams ranked in the top-25.

Offensively the Raiders Shoup collected two hits, including a double, and scored a run while Parker collected a hit, scored a run and drove in an RBI. Abusaleh drove in two RBI on one hit and Garcia pounded out two hits in the game.

The Raiders move on to the losers bracket game against Hawaii on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

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