DAYTON, Ohio (Interstat) — A decisive third inning and a pair of home runs from Julian Fultz propelled the Wright State Raiders to an 8-1 victory over the Kent State Golden Flashes in nonconference baseball Wednesday at Woerner Field.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, saw the Raiders snap a three-game skid and improve their record to 2-5. Kent State, which entered with a 5-2 mark after winning a series at Tennessee last weekend, managed just four hits and saw its three-game winning streak halted.

Wright State seized control in the bottom of the third inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four runs on four hits to break open a scoreless game. The rally chased Kent State starter Brody Krzysi and turned a tight contest into a comfortable lead.

The inning began with a bunt single by Andrew Gregory and a single by Julian Warren. After a single by Sam Blomquist loaded the bases, cleanup hitter Andrew Peltier delivered the key blow, a two-run double down the left-field line to score Gregory and Warren. Following a pitching change, Ben Duncan drove in another run with a fielder’s choice, and later in the frame, Julian Manley drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Peltier, making the score 6-0.

Fultz provided the early and late power for the Raiders. He staked Wright State to a 2-0 lead in the second inning with a two-run homer to left-center field after Peltier was hit by a pitch and stole second. Fultz then led off the fifth inning with a solo shot to left field, his second of the game, to extend the lead to 7-0. He finished with three RBIs.

Kent State’s offense was stifled by a succession of Wright State pitchers. Starter Connor Lax worked three scoreless innings before handing off to the bullpen. The Golden Flashes did not score until the seventh inning, when they loaded the bases with one out against reliever Carter Holmstrom. Sawyer Solitaria drew a walk to force in Brody Williams, who had doubled. The threat ended abruptly, however, when Luke Matthews grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Wright State added an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI single by Jayden Turner that scored Duncan, who had singled and stolen second.

The most important part of the game was Wright State’s four-run bottom of the third inning. It transformed a narrow 2-0 advantage into a commanding 6-0 lead, effectively deciding the contest early. The outburst capitalized on timely hitting and patient at-bats, overwhelming Kent State’s pitching staff and setting a tone the Golden Flashes could not overcome.

Kent State’s Williams had two of his team’s four hits, including a double. Grady Mee and Micah Rienstra each added singles.

Wright State’s nine-hit attack was led by Fultz, while Peltier drove in two runs. The Raiders’ bullpen of Nate Bilo, Holmstrom, Sam Zielinski and Jackson Thompson combined for six innings of one-run relief, allowing just three hits.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat, whose simulator had forecast a 6-2 Kent State victory and gave the Golden Flashes a 53.4% probability of winning.

Kent State returns home to begin a four-game series with Rhode Island on Friday. Wright State travels to face Campbell for a three-game series starting Friday.