Sullivan Homers in 9-3 Loss to Indiana State

by YSU

Sunday, Mar 8, 2015 9:19 pm

Westfield, Indiana -- Indiana State got timely hitting and 16 strikeouts from its pitching staff to defeat the Youngstown State baseball team 9-3 on Sunday afternoon at Grand Park near Indianapolis.

The Penguins, who were on the diamond for the first time in 22 days due to back-to-back weekends with weather-related cancelations, got two hits from Jake Fryman and two runs and a home run from Matt Sullivan. YSU, though, went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and failed to put the ball in play on 16 of their 27 outs. Indiana State countered by going 6-for-17 with men in scoring position, and five of the Sycamores' nine runs came from batters who walked or were hit by a pitch.

Youngstown State scored the game's initial run when Shane Willoughby walked for the first of three times, advanced to third on Alex Larivee's double and scored on a balk. Sycamores starter Jeff Degano was able to strike out Sullivan and Fryman to strand Larivee on third, and the junior left-hander went on to strike out 10 batters over six innings.

Indiana State tied the score in the bottom of the first when Landon Curry was hit by a pitch and scored on Andy Young's single, and the Sycamores went on to score twice in the second inning and once in the fourth to go up 4-1.

The Penguins left four runners on base in the third through fifth innings before finally breaking through in the sixth. Sullivan led off by reaching on a wild pitch, and he scored when Frank Califano grounded into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded. YSU ended up leaving two more runners on base in the sixth, and Indiana State scored twice in the sixth and another run in the seventh to go up 7-2.

Sullivan hit a solo homer to start the top of the eighth, and the Sycamores added two runs in the bottom of the inning for the final tally.

YSU starter Kevin Yarabinec allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings, and Josh North surrendered four earned runs in three innings. Austin Conway relieved Degano in the seventh, and he struck out six batters while allowing just the Sullivan homer. Degano earned his third victory of the season, and Conway was awarded his first save.

The Penguins and Sycamores will conclude their brief two-game series on Monday at noon.

No comments posted...