FAIRBORN, OHIO (WKEF/WRGT) - With the Horizon League baseball tournament back in the Miami Valley, Wright State enters the week confident they can defend their crown and make another appearance at the NCAA Tournament.

The Raiders clinched the league's regular-season title, and begin their 2023 tournament run Thursday morning against Milwaukee; the winner of that game advances to the winner's bracket final.

Head coach Alex Sogard notes the team struggled in its final two games of the regular season at Youngstown State, but says the experienced players know the stakes are raised in the conference tournament.

Sogard was named the league's Coach of the Year Tuesday, while Chaminade Julienne alum Sebastian Gongora was named Pitcher of the Year. Gongora, Sammy Sass, Andrew Patrick, Jay Luikart, Gehrig Anglin, and Jake Shirk were all named to the Horizon League First Team. Patrick Fultz and Joey Valentine were both selected to the conference's All-Freshman Team.