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| Softball Inks Four Recruits During Early Signing Period |
| Thursday, November 18 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
The Youngstown State softball program has signed Kayla Haslett (Baden, Pa.), Kaitlyn Kite (Urbana, Ohio), Brooke Meenachan (Boardman, Ohio) and Samantha Troxell (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) to National Letters of Intent to join the team during the 2012 season, Head Coach Brian Campbell announced on Wednesday (Nov. 17).
"We have brought in four highly-skilled athletes that we hope will fill the void of departing seniors," Campbell said.
Haslett, a right-handed pitcher and infielder, struck out 144 batters and owned an earned-run average of 0.89 in 2010. The Beaver County Times 2010 Softball Player of the Year, Haslett also batted .464 with seven home runs and 19 stolen bases.
"Kayla brings added depth to our pitching staff and has the ability to play multiple positions in the infield," Campbell said. "She is a hard worker and has a great attitude."
Kite, a catcher and corner infielder, was a three-time All-Ohio Heritage Conference selection and earned second-team Divsion III all-state honors as a junior. In 2010, Kite batted .507 with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 44 runs batted in. For her career, Kite carries a .466 batting average with 36 doubles, 21 home runs and 98 runs batted in.
"Kaitlyn has tremendous drive and work ethic," Campbell said. "What she brings to the table is a knack for getting on base and hitting the ball sharply."
Meenachan, a versatile infielder, batted .457 with six home runs, 24 runs batted in and a .755 slugging percentage during the 2010 season, which garnered her First-Team All-Federal League honors. She was also named to second-team all-conference as a sophomore and honorable-mention all-conference as a freshman.
"Brooke has the ability to play various infield spots for us which is beneficial for us," Campbell said. "She has a great swing, gets on base a lot and makes good things happen."
Troxell, a middle infielder, was a Division I Second-Team All-Ohio pick last season after batting .477 with a slugging percentage of .662 and an on-base percentage of .549. She also earned First-Team All-District and All-Northeast Ohio accolades.
"Defensively, Samantha has good range and keeps everything in front of her," Campbell said. "She is another player that gets on base a lot and pressures defenses when she is on base."
The Penguins open the 2011 season against Kent State at the Phoenix Lead-Off Classic at Elon University on Feb. 12. |
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| Camp builds chemistry |
| Wednesday, September 29 2010 |
| Courtesy of: JOE SCALZO Vindicator sports staff |
YOUNGSTOWN
A few weeks ago, one of the YSU softball players stood on a tightrope 30 feet in the air with a harness across her body and a series of ropes above her.
“She was so scared,” said senior infielder Kim Klonowski. “She was crying, she was so upset, but she made it halfway through the course because the team was below her cheering her on and I was right next to her pushing her on.”
When Penguin softball coach Brian Campbell assessed what went wrong during last spring’s 14-36 season, one problem stood out above all else: team chemistry. So he decided to take a fall trip to Camp Frederick in Rogers, believing the problem could be cured by a combination of bunk beds, bonfires and jokes about bear attacks.
He was right.
“It was awesome,” said Klonowski, who started all 50 games last year and batted .297. “It was just such a rewarding experience. It brought us together and forced us to know each other outside of softball so we’d know each other on the field.
“I think you can see the results on the field already. I completely trust the girl on my right and in front of me and behind me.”
Considering 11 of YSU’s 18 players are underclassmen, including seven freshmen, it was important the Penguins build that chemistry quickly. Even better, seniors like Klonowski have embraced the younger players, believing they’ve made her a better player.
“You know if you make a mistake or you’re not quite on your game, there’s somebody behind you that can pick it up,” she said. “It’s made me love the game even more and want to be better for them down the road.”
Will the experience translate into wins? Only time will tell. Regardless, Campbell thinks it was worth it.
“To be able to do something like that, it’s very special for the kids and for the coaches,” said Campbell. “I think it’s something they’ll never forget.” |
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| Michele Jordan Added to Softball Coaching Staff |
| Sunday, September 19 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
Youngstown - Michele Jordan, a record-setting pitcher at Findlay, has been added to the Youngstown State softball coaching staff as a graduate assistant, Head Coach Brian Campbell announced on Wednesday.
Jordan, who spent the 2010 season as the head coach at Wellington High School, lettered four times at Findlay and was a three-time All-GLIAC Honorable Mention selection.
"We are very pleased to add Michele to our coaching staff," Campbell said. "She brings a lot of success as a college pitcher to our program and her experience will benefit our young pitching staff."
Jordan also served as the junior varsity softball coach at Firelands High School in 2009.
Jordan still owns the Findlay career records for most appearances (98) and innings pitched (532). She also ranks second with 272 strikeouts, third with 57 complete games and four with six shutouts.
Jordan earned her bachelor's degree in education from Findlay in 2007. |
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| Softball To Hold Walk-On Tryouts Sept. 2 |
| Thursday, September 9 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
Youngstown, Ohio -- The Youngstown State softball team will hold walk-on tryouts, Thursday, Sept. 2, at McCune Park in Canfield, Ohio.
Tryouts will take place from 6-9 p.m.
Those interested must meet with Head Coach Brian Campbell on Aug. 30 in room 101 of the Beeghly Center on the campus of Youngstown State.
For more information, please call the softball office at (330) 941-1924. |
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| Softball to Hold Free Clinic Oct. 10 |
| Wednesday, August 4 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
Youngstown, Ohio -- The Youngstown State softball program will hold a free clinic, Sunday, Oct. 10, at McCune Park in Canfield, Ohio.
The clinic will run from Noon to 2:30 p.m. and is open to eighth through 12 graders.
At the clinic, participants will receive instruction on hitting, fielding, throwing and baserunning from the YSU softball coaches and players.
Players are required to bring gloves and appropriate shoes.
To register, please email Assistant Coach Tiffany Patteson at tmpatteson@ysu.edu. Once registered, parents and/or guardians will be required to complete and return a medical release form. Players will not be permitted to participate in the clinic without a signed release form.
Also, Youngstown State will be collecting donations for the American Cancer Society at the clinic.
For more information, please contact Tiffany Patteson at (330) 941-1924 or tmpatteson@ysu.edu. |
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| YSU Signee Samantha Snodgrass Named West Virginia Player of the Year |
| Thursday, June 10 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
Youngstown -- Youngstown State softball signee Samantha Snodgrass (South Charleston, W. Va.) was named the West Virginia Gatorade Softball Player of the Year on Wednesday. Snodgrass, a right-handed pitcher for St. Albans High School, signed a National Letter of Intent with YSU in November.
In the recent West Virginia State Tournament, Snodgrass threw 21-scoreless innings and struck out 32 batters to lead her team to the Class AAA State Championship. In the title game, Snodgrass allowed just three hits and struck out seven batters. She also drove in the game-winning run in the fourth inning of the 1-0 victory over Logan. It was the Red Dragons' first softball state championship in school history. It was the program's first state title by a girls team since 1985.
Snodgrass, who entered the state tournament with a 0.37 earned run average, pitched 21 scoreless innings as St. Albans dominated the competition. She struck out 11 against John Marshall and 14 against Logan.
To make Snodgrass' already incredible accomplishment even greater, she also pitched St. Albans to back-to-back 1-0 victories in the regionals over defending state champion Ripley and second-ranked Lincoln County. St. Albans didn't allow a run - earned or unearned - in postseason play. It went through the sectional, regional and state tournaments without getting scored upon.
The Red Dragons -making their first state tournament appearance - finished the season 34-1. St. Albans scored 289 runs during the season and allowed just 21.
Snodgrass, a finalist for West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior, is a three-time first-team all-state selection and a was second-team all-state pick as a freshman.
During the regular-season as a senior, she owned a 28-1 record with a 0.39 earned run average, struck out 261 in 143 innings. She led the team in hitting, carrying a .473 batting average with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs. In the postseason she won five additional decisions, all via shutout performances.
As a junior, Snodgrass batted .471 with five home runs, 10 doubles, three triples, an on-base percentage of .549 and a slugging percentage of .828. In the circle, Snodgrass went 12-2 with an earned-run average of 0.31 and 14 complete games. |
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| Softball Drops Pair at Green Bay to Close Out Season |
| Monday, May 10 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
Green Bay, Wis. -- The Youngstown State softball team closed out the 2010 season with a pair of losses to Green Bay, 6-5, 5-2, in a doubleheader on Sunday morning.
The Penguins finish the season with an overall record of 14-36 and 6-17 in the Horizon League. Green Bay improves to 26-18 overall and 11-11 in the league.
In the opener, Green Bay's Melani Niederer singled home Jenna Woepse, who reached on a two-out error, in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out the 6-5 victory.
The Penguins took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on run-scoring singles by senior Autumn Grove and freshman Caroline Krombach, who went 3-for-3 and drove in two runs.
The Phoenix knotted the game in the bottom half of the frame but the Penguins regained the lead with two more runs in the top of the third. Freshman Vicky Rumph belted her eighth home run of the season. Junior Kristina Rendle also scored on the round-tripper after doubling to left field.
After the Phoenix took the lead, 5-4, with three runs in the bottom of the third, Krombach tied the game with a single to left-center field and scored Jordan Ingalls, who single to right field, in the top of the fifth.
In the second game, sophomore Haley Thomas and Rendle each tallied two hits and Rendle drove in two runs.
Thomas finished the season leading the team with a .370 batting average and tied Rumph for the team lead with eight home runs. |
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| Softball Squanders Five-Run Lead in 9-8 Loss to Valpo in Extras |
| Monday, May 3 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
Valparaiso, Ind. -- Freshman Vicky Rumph tied a school mark with four hits and the Youngstown State softball team collected 14 hits, but squandered a five-run lead and dropped a 9-8 decision to Valparaiso in eight innings on Sunday afternoon.
The Penguins fall to 14-34 overall and 6-15 in the Horizon League while the Crusaders improve to 32-16 overall and 12-6 in the league.
The Penguins owned an 8-4 lead with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning when the Crusaders got hot at the plate. Three straight singles and a three-run home run tied the game at 8-8.
In the bottom of the eighth, a bases-loaded walk plated the game-winning run.
With the game tied at 1-1 after two innings, the Penguins plated three runs in the top of the third sparked by a two-run single by sophomore Kristen Philen and Philen later scored on a Crusader scoring error.
The Crusaders cut the deficit to 4-2 with a run in the bottom half of the third, but the Penguins responded with three more in the top of the fourth to take an 7-2 advantage. After singles by Kristina Rendle and Rumph, sophomore Jordan Ingalls belted a three-run home run over the left-center field wall to give the Guins a five-run cushion.
Runs by the Crusaders in the bottom of the fourth and fifth were answered with an unearned run by the Penguins in the top of sixth to make the score 8-4.
Sophomore Haley Thomas led off the game with her fourth home run of the week and eighth of the season to put the Guins ahead 1-0.
The Penguins close out the regular season with a three-game series against Green Bay, May 8-9, in Green Bay, Wis. |
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| Softball Swept By Valparaiso |
| Saturday, May 1 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
Valparaiso, Ind. -- The Youngstown State softball team fell to 14-33 overall and 6-14 in the Horizon League after dropping a pair of games to Valparaiso, 8-0, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon.
In the opener, the Penguins were limited to just two hits - a double by sophomore Jordan Ingalls and a single by sophomore Amanda Palmore.
The Penguins trailed just 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth but the Crusaders plated seven runs in the frame to enforce the mercy rule.
In the nightcap, senior Cheryl Cale tossed a complete game with three strikeouts and allowed just two earned runs in the 4-1 loss.
The Penguins trailed 2-0 after three innings when sophomore Kristen Philen cut the deficit in half with a sacrifice fly to left to make the score 2-1. However, the Penguins went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, including an opportunity with runners on second and third with two outs in the seventh inning.
The Penguins and Crusaders conclude the series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. |
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| Haley Thomas' Record Day Leads to Softball Split Against Niagara |
| Thursday, April 29 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
Canfield, Ohio -- Sophomore Haley Thomas set three school single-game records and tied another and the Youngstown State softball team (14-31) set a team record with with six home runs in 15-10 win over Niagara in game one of a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at McCune Park. The Penguins dropped game two, 12-2.
Thomas set single-game records with three home runs in a game, two home runs in an inning, five runs batted in in an inning and tied the single-game record with six RBIs.
Thomas belted two home runs - a solo shot and a grand slam - and drove in five runs in the bottom of the first inning, which the Penguins sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight runs to take an 8-1 lead.
The Purple Eagles chipped away at the Penguins' seven-run edge with two runs in the second, four in the third and took a 10-8 lead with three in the top of the fifth.
After being held scoreless for three innings, the Penguins regained the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior Kim Klonowski belted a two-run blast to left field to tie the game at 10-10, and sophomore Amanda Palmore belted a two-out, two-run to right-center field to put the Guins ahead for good, 12-10.
Thomas cranked her record-breaking home run - another solo shot - over the scoreboard in right-center field to lead off the bottom of the sixth to put the Guins ahead 13-10. Klonowski , who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, finished off the scoring with her second home run of the game with a two-run blast to left field.
In the night cap, the Penguins were held to just three hits but two of those were back-to-back home runs by Palmore and senior Kristina Davidson, who belted her first career home run in her final home college softball game.
The Penguins visit Valparaiso in a three-game series, May 1-2, in Valparaiso, Ind. First pitch on Saturday is schedule for 2 p.m. (EDT). |
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