| Burnell Named Horizon League Pitcher of the Week |
| Tuesday, March 27 2007 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Indianapolis, Ind. -- For the first time in her career, Youngstown State senior Karlie Burnell (Brampton, Ontario) was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week for the week of March 26, the League announced on Monday. Burnell picked up both of YSU’s victories over the weekend both against Miami (Ohio). On Saturday, Burnell tossed a complete-game four-hitter with seven strikeouts. On Sunday, Burnell tossed 4.2 innings of scoreless relief striking out four and allowing just one hit. She also tossed a complete-game five-hitter in a 1-0 loss to Purdue. The lone Boilermaker run was unearned. Burnell also finished with a 1.88 earned-run average and limited her opponents to a .164 batting average. Burnell, who is 4-1 with a 1.93 earned-run average this season, currently ranks fourth all-time with 32 career victories and third with 252 career strikeouts. YSU takes on Robert Morris in its home opener, Wednesday, March 28, at 4 p.m. |
| Solid Pitching Outings Not Enough in a Pair of Losses at Miami Tourney |
| Saturday, March 24 2007 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Oxford, Ohio -- The Youngstown State softball team (3-3) received solid pitching performances from senior Karlie Burnell and freshman Danielle Chase but the Penguins dropped two close games to Purdue, 1-0, and Toledo, 2-1, on day one of the Miami (Ohio) Softball Invitational on Friday. In the first game against Purdue, Burnell fired a complete-game, five-hitter while striking out four and allowing an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning. Junior Jamie Fornal tallied three of YSU's five hits, including a double. Against the Rockets, Chase gave up just five hits but surrendered a two-out, two run in the bottom of the first inning. Junior McKenzie Bedra belted her first home run of the season in the top half of the fourth but the Penguins could not muster any more runs. Junior Megan Bricker went 2-for-3 against the Rockets and junior Becky Hibner extended her hitting streak to six games with a double in the top of the fifth inning. The Penguins take on Michigan State and Miami, Saturday, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. |
| Lady Pens Defeat George Mason, 7-6 |
| Sunday, March 11 2007 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Fairfax, Va. -- The Youngstown State softball team (1-1) split a pair of games on the first day of competition at the George Mason Softball Invitational on Saturday afternoon. The Penguins held on to defeat George Mason, 7-6, and lost to Brown, 6-3. Junior Becky Hibner went 5-for-8 with a triple and two runs scored on the day to lead the Penguins while Autumn Grove was 4-for-8 with a home run, double, three runs scored and two runs batted in. In the opener, Grove belted a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to lift the Penguins to their first victory of the season. The Penguins jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on run-scoring singles by McKenzie Bedra and Megan Bricker and Sarah Conklin drove in a run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. After the Patriots plated two runs in the bottom of the second frame, Bedra's two-run single in the top of the fourth plated Lacy Bronson and Grove, who both singled, to take a 5-2 edge. The Patriots scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. Hibner went 3-for-4 against the Patriots and senior Karlie Burnell (1-0) scattered eight hits and struck out five to pick up the victory. Against Brown, the Penguins pounded out 12 hits but left nine runners left on base, including six in scoring position, in a 6-3 loss to Brown. Junior Jamie Fornal, Grove and Hibner each posted two hits apiece while Bronson and Allyse Ledford each hit triples. The Penguins take on Brown at 9 a.m. and Morgan State at 11 a.m. on Sunday. |