| Penguins Swept By George Mason, 7-2, 9-3 |
| Sunday, February 22 2009 |
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| Fairfax, Va. -- The Youngstown State softball team fell to 0-4 after being swept in a doubleheader by George Mason, 7-2, and 9-3, at the George Mason Softball Field on Sunday morning. In the opener, the Penguins hammered out nine hits but stranded 10 runners on base. YSU was able to cut a 4-0 deficit in half scoring twice in the fifth before the Colonials answered with three in the bottom of the frame. Freshman Jordan Ingalls went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. Sophomore Kim Klonowski added two hits for the Guins while Cheryl Cale pitched a complete game. In game two, junior Autumn Grove collected three of the Guins' seven hits and drove in a run. Klonowski added two more hits, including a double, in game two and for the doubleheader was 4-for-6 with a sacrifice bunt. YSU trailed 5-0 before scoring twice in the fifth. The Guins added a single run in the sixth. Freshman Kristen Philen doubled and drove in a run and freshman Amanda Palmore delivered an RBI single. Ingalls tossed a complete game picking up three strikeouts. The Penguins return to action against Holy Cross on March 7 at 9 a.m. at the Rebel Games in Orlando, Fla. |
| Ingalls Has Impressive Debut in Losses at George Mason |
| Saturday, February 21 2009 |
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| Fairfax, Va. -- Freshman Jordan Ingalls went 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and a run batted in and pitched four innings but the Youngstown State softball team dropped its season opener to George Mason, 4-3, on Saturday morning at George Mason Field. Ingalls homered in her first collegiate at-bat to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead in the top half of the third inning. The Penguins took a 3-0 advantage after plating two runs in the top of the fourth. After freshman Amanda Palmore reached on a field's choice, freshman Haley Thomas tripled to score Palmore and junior Autumn Grove's infield single plated Thomas. Mason, though, scored four runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a 4-3 lead. In the circle, Ingalls scattered seven hits with one strikeout and allowed three earned runs. Junior Cheryl Cale threw two innings and struck out one while allowing two hits. George Mason erupted for 10 runs on 12 hits and did not allow an earned run in its 10-1 victory in game two. Allyse Ledford had two of YSU's five hits in game two as GMU's Brianne Pease did not allow an earned run in a five-inning complete game. Erin Schindler allowed eight runs, five of which were earned, in three innings in a losing effort for YSU. George Mason scored five runs on four hits and an error in the second and two more in the third and fourth innings. The Penguins and Patriots will play another doubleheader on Sunday at 10 a.m. |
| Softball Program Starting Fresh For 2009 Campaign |
| Thursday, February 19 2009 |
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| To say the Youngstown State softball program is making a fresh start is a mild understatement but an accurate one to say the least. With a new head coach, new coaching staff and a roster with seven newcomers, the 2009 season will be one with a litany of questions that will be answered only in the games that have yet to be played. “There are definitely a lot of question marks,” first-year Head Coach Brian Campbell said. “I think that is natural with a new staff and many new players. “We are a young and inexperienced team, but these kids are going to work hard, and that is how we will get better.” The Penguins enter the 2009 campaign with just seven letterwinners returning - four of those pitchers - and the projected defensive starting line up has been completely retooled. Campbell used the fall season to address that issue and evaluate players in their new spots. “Our players bought into the new system in fall quite easily,” he said. “Besides playing new positions, they really caught on to new defenses, a new coaching philosophy and style and showed a ‘never-give-up’ attitude.” Infield The infield has had a makeover from the 2008 season. Only Kim Klonowski, who played 14 games at first base last year, has any Division I experience at her current position. Klonowski, who also played seven games at third base and six games as the designated player, batted .234 with six doubles, a grand slam and seven runs batted in. Over the course of the last eight games of the year, Klonowski batted .476 (10-for-21) with five doubles. Tiffin transfer Kristina Rendle, the ICAA Freshman of the Year, is slated to move into the slot at second base. Rendle batted .439 as a freshman last season and scored 32 runs with five doubles and 23 runs batted in. Joining Rendle in the middle of the infield is two-time All-Northeast Ohio selection freshman Kristen Philen. Philen batted .333 with a slugging percent of .460 and an on-base percentage of .441 during her senior season. Senior Allyse Ledford has played in 99 games and has made 96 starts during her career, but none of those appearances have been at third base, where the Akron, Ohio, native is slated to start 2009. “Allyse has great hands, a strong arm and the versatility to make the transition to third base,” Campbell said. Ledford was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the 2006 Horizon League Championship. Catcher For the first time in since 2005, someone new will be calling the signs behind the plate. With the departure of Kristen McDonnell, the duties of handling the pitchers falls to freshman Amanda Palmore and junior Kristina Davidson. Palmore, who hails from Centralia, Wash., holds her high school record for most walks and triples and was named first-team all-area as a senior. Davidson is a versatile athlete who also may see time at third base or first base. Outfield The Penguins outfield will also have an entirely new look in 2009. Junior Autumn Grove, who spent the previous two seasons at shortstop or second base, will move to left field this year. Grove, who was named to the 2007 Horizon League All-Newcomer Team, has the versatility to make the transition, according to Campbell. “Autumn is a good athlete and very capable of make the switch to the outfield,” Campbell said. “She is a leader on this team and is willing to do whatever is takes to win.” Replacing four-year starter Bethany Hafley in center field is freshman Haley Thomas. Thomas, a three-year all-conference selection at Simi Valley High School in California, led her prep squad to the Marmonte League Championship as a senior. Freshmen Melanie Conklin, Jordan Ingalls and Jessica Sciacca are penciled in to play right field. Conklin, who also pitches, batted .395 with an on-base percentage of .482 as a senior. Ingalls, who also pitches, batted .384 with four home runs last season. Sciacca, a left-handed hitter, hit .340 as a senior and .470 with eight triples and seven doubles as a junior. Pitchers Probably the deepest roster spot on the squad is in the circle with four returning pitchers and newcomers Conklin and Ingalls. Senior Tasha Hess and juniors Cheryl Cale, Danielle Chase and Erin Schindler have all pitched at least 39 innings during their careers. “We are fortunate to have plenty of arms in the circle this season,” Campbell said. “Our pitchers definitely have to hit their spots for us to achieve success. “They are a hard-working group and will have to continue to keep up that work ethic as the season progresses.” Cale led the Penguins with eight victories and 11 complete games last season. She posted a team-high 64 strikeouts and fired a complete-game, three-hit shutout against Butler. Chase, who has six career wins, started 15 times last season and picked up a win against Michigan State and tossed a two-hit shutout against Akron. Schindler made nine appearances last season and struck out 18 in 31 innings. Ingalls, who owned a 97-7 record with 1,096 strikeouts over the last four years, posted a 28-4 mark with an earned-run average of 0.73 and 200 strikeouts in 119 innings pitched last season. Conklin, who posted a 47-9 career record, went 14-5 with a 1.18 earned-run average as a senior. Designated Player The designated player slot will also have someone new in that role. Schindler and Sciacca are currently penciled in that position. |