March 2009

Miscues, Walks Costly in 11-4 Loss to Wright State

Monday, March 30 2009

Courtesy of:

Dayton, Ohio -- Wright State capitalized on five Penguins errors and seven walks en route to an 11-4 win over the Youngstown State softball team in the series finale on Sunday afternoon.

The Penguins fall to 4-19 overall and 2-4 in the Horizon League while the Raiders improve to 15-14 overall and 3-3 in the league.

Freshman Haley Thomas led the Penguins offensively going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

The Penguins jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one-and-a-half innings plating one run in the first and two more in the top of the second frame.

Thomas led off the game with a single and advanced to third after a wild pitch and a passed ball. Sophomore Kim Klonowski infield singled scored Thomas to put the Penguins ahead 1-0.

In the second, freshman Amanda Palmore's two-run single up the middle plated Kristina Rendle and Kristen Philen to give the Penguins a three-run cushion.

After the Raiders knottted the game at 3-3 in the bottom half of the second, sophomore Ashley Conger belted her first career home run in the top of the third to regain the lead, 4-3.

Wright State, though, scored two in the bottom half of the third to retake the lead, 5-4, then added two more in the fourth and four more in the fifth.

The Penguins return home to host Horizon League foe Detroit in a doubleheader, Wednesday, April 1, at 5 p.m.

Cale, Klonowski, Philen Lead Penguins to Split at Wright State

Saturday, March 28 2009

Courtesy of:

Dayton, Ohio -- Junior Cheryl Cale pitched a complete-game five-hitter and sophomore Kim Klonowski and freshman Kristen Philen each tallied three hits to lead the Youngstown State softball team to a 6-2 win in game two of a doubleheader against Wright State on Saturday morning. The Penguins dropped the opener, 7-0.

The Penguins improve to 4-18 overall and 2-3 in the Horizon League while the Raiders move to 14-14 overall and 2-3 in the league.

Cale (3-8), who has not allow an earned run in 24 consecutive innings, allowed just one hit and three base runners over the last five innings.

Klonowski went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and a run driven in.

Trailing 2-0, Klonowski led off the top of the sixth inning with a double to center field. Pinch runner Melanie Conklin stole third and scored on Philen's single through the left side.

Tasha Hess pinch-ran for Ashley Conger, who walked, scored on Amanda Palmore's base-loaded walk.

Philen then scored the go-ahead run when Haley Thomas walked with the bases-loaded.

The Penguins added three more runs in the top of the seventh w sparked by Klonowski's lead-off home run - her third of the season.

Freshman Jordan Ingalls reached on a fielding error and advanced to third on Conger's double down the right-field line.

Sophomore Kristina Rendle doubled-down the right-field line to plate both Ingalls and Conger to give the Guins a four-run edge.

The Penguins and Raiders close out the three-game series, Sunday, at Noon.

Softball Doubleheader Against Morehead State Cancelled

Wednesday, March 25 2009

Courtesy of:

The Youngstown State softball doubleheader against Morehead State scheduled today has been cancelled due to inclement weather.
The Penguins visit Canisius, Thursday, March 26, in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. in Buffalo, N.Y. YSU returns to conference play this weekend at Wright State.

Cale's Five-Hit Gem Paces Softball to 1-0 Win Over Loyola in Series Finale

Monday, March 23 2009

Courtesy of:

Canfield, Ohio -- Junior Cheryl Cale fired a five-hitter with two strikeouts and sophomore Kristina Rendle's sacrifice fly to left field in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Youngstown State softball team to a 1-0 victory over Loyola on Sunday morning at McCune Park.

The Penguins improve to 3-16 overall and 1-2 in the Horizon League while the Ramblers fall to 13-8 overall and 2-1 in the league.

Cale, who has not allowed a run in 14 consecutive innings, allowed just three base runners over the last six innings, and at one point retired 10 straight batters.

In the bottom of the ninth, freshman Kristen Philen led off the frame with a walk and advanced to second on Allyse Ledford's sacrifice bunt.

Amannda Palmore's bloop single to center moved Philen to third and Palmore went to second on the throw.

Rendle then lifted a fly ball down the left-field line which was caught by Loyola's Stephanie Cihlar and plated Philen with the game-winning run.

Freshman Jordan Ingalls, sophomore Kim Klonowski and Palmore each collected two singles to lead the Penguins' eight hit attack.

The Penguins host Morehead State, Wednesday, March 25, in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. at McCune Park.

Kim Klonowski Ties Two Marks as Guins Drop Pair to Loyola

Monday, March 23 2009

Courtesy of:

Canfield, Ohio -- Sophomore Kim Klonowski tied two single-game marks with four hits and two home runs, and also drove in four runs in a 6-5 eight inning loss to Horizon League foe Loyola on Saturday afternoon at McCune Park. The Penguins also dropped the first game of the day to the Ramblers, 4-1.

Youngstown State falls to 2-16 overall and 0-2 in the Horizon League while the Ramblers improve to 13-7 overall and 2-0 in the league.

Both of Klonowski's blasts were game-tying home runs. First, with the Penguins trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Klonowski belted a three-run round-tripper to center field to knot the game at 4-4.

After Loyola regained a 5-4 edge with a run in the top of the sixth, Klonowski's second home run, a solo shot, with one out in the bottom of the seventh forced extra innings.

However, Loyola's Alexandra Trudenich's solo shot in the top of the eight proved to be the game winner.

Junior Autumn Grove went 2-for-5 with two runs scored two runs.

In the opener, junior Cheryl Cale tossed a complete-game six-hitter and only two earned runs in the 4-1 loss.

Offensively, freshman Jordan Ingalls went 2-for-3 with a run-scoring double and classmate Haley Thomas went 2-for-3 with a double to lead the Penguins.

The Penguins recorded nine hits but stranded 11 runners on base.

The Penguins and Ramblers close out the three-game series with a single-game, Sunday, March 22, at 11 a.m. at McCune Park.

Kim Klonowski Ties Two Marks as Guins Drop Pair to Loyola

Saturday, March 21 2009

Courtesy of:

Late Rally Lifts Softball Over LaSalle

Saturday, March 14 2009

Courtesy of:

Kissimmee, Fla. -- The Youngstown State finally exorcised its Rebel Spring Games demons on Friday the 13th with a come-from-behind 5-4 victory in eight innings over LaSalle in its final spring break game at the Osceola County Softball Complex.

The Penguins also dropped a 2-1 eight-inning affair to Bryant earlier in the day.

Trailing LaSalle, 4-2, after six innings, sophomore Kim Klonowski, junior Autumn Grove and senior Allyse Ledford each walked to load the bases to lead off the top of the seventh inning.

Freshman Ashley Conger, who went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in, laced a single up the middle to plate pinch-runner Jessica Sciacca and Grove to knot the game at 4-4.

The Penguins, though, left the bases loaded in the top of the frame.

After denying the Explorers in the bottom of the seventh, the Penguins took full advantage of the international tie-breaker rule.

Freshman Jordan Ingalls, who picked up her first collegiate win, was placed on second in the top of the eighth. Ingalls advanced to third on Haley Thomas' sacrifice bunt and scored the go-ahead run on an error. Thomas moved to second on the same error and was sacrificed to third but the Penguins could not add the insurance run.

In the bottom half of the eighth, the Penguins made two outstanding defensive plays to squelch a LaSalle come-back attempt.

With a runner on third and one out, the Explorers suicide-squeeze attempt failed after Ledford forced DiTommaso into a run-down after the bunt.

After a single to left, an error and an intentional walk loaded the bases with two outs, freshman shortstop Kristen Philen diving stop up the middle forced Massaro out at second to end the game.

The Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after a sacrifice fly by Grove and a run-scoring single by Conger.

LaSalle answered with three in the bottom half of the first and added another in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead.

Against Bryant, junior Cheryl Cale, who picked up the save against LaSalle, tossed a complete-game three hitter with three strikeouts but was the hard-luck loser.

The Penguins took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Kristen Philen single through the left side to score Thomas.

Bryant scored an unearned runs in the top of the seventh and eighth innings to steal the 2-1 victory.

The Penguins open Horizon League action against Loyola, Saturday, March 21, with a doubleheader at McCune Park. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Softball Bats Go Cold in Losses to SIU-Edwardsville, IPFW

Thursday, March 12 2009

Courtesy of:

Kissimmee, Fla. -- The Youngstown State softball team (1-11) tallied just two hits in a 6-0 loss to SIU-Edwardsville and only five in a 4-2 loss to IPFW on Wednesday at the Rebel Spring Games at the Osceola County Softball Complex.

SIU-Edwardsville's Kaitlin Colosimo fired a two-hit complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts in the Penguins' first game of the day.

Freshman Jordan Ingalls turned in a courageous performance in the circle for the Penguins, firing a complete game and scattering eight hits.

Ingalls held SIUE in check for four innings before a four-run fifth inning ballooned a 2-0 lead into a 6-0 advantage.

Ingalls and junior Autumn Grove had the Penguins' only two hits.

Against IPFW, junior Cheryl Cale scattered eight hits in a complete-game performance and allowed just one earned run as the Penguins were bitten with the error bug in a 4-2 loss.

The Mastodons plated an unearned run in the top of the first and three more runs, two of which were unearned, in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead.

The Penguins got on the board with the help of two IPFW errors in the bottom of the third inning.

After freshman Haley Thomas's one-out infield single, Grove and sophomore Kristina Rendle each reach on errors to load the bases.

Ingalls reached on a fielder's choice to plate Thomas and Kim Klonowski, who went 2-for-3, single to center to score Grove and ended the game's scoring.

The Penguins take on South Dakota and Yale on Thursday at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.

Softball Drops Pair to IPFW, Penn

Tuesday, March 10 2009

Courtesy of:

Kissimmee, Fla. -- The Youngstown State softball team cranked out 11 hits, including two each from freshmen Jordan Ingalls, Kristen Philen and Haley Thomas, but left nine runners on base in a 4-3 loss to Penn on Monday afternoon at the Fortune Road Softball Complex. The Penguins also lost to IPFW, 9-0, earlier in the day.

Against the Quakers, Thomas led off the game with a single, stole second and scored on Kristen Rendle's single to center field to to put the Penguins up, 1-0.

Rendle stole second base and scored on Kim Klonowski's single to center.

The Quakers, though, responded with a four-run bottom of the first inning to take a 4-2 lead.

The Penguins threatened in the top of the third with runners on second and third with one out after a single by Autumn Grove and a double by Ingalls, but stranded the two runners.

In the top of the fourth, Philen singled and scored on a double by Thomas to cut the Quakers' lead to 4-3.

The Penguins had an opportunity to tie the game in the fifth but Rendle was thrown out at home after a single from Ashley Conger.

Junior Cheryl Cale was the hard-luck loser scattering seven hits, only two after the first inning, and struck out two with just one walk.

In the opener against IPFW, the Penguins were limited to just five hits and committed five errors in the 9-0 loss.

The Penguins take a day off before taking on SIU-Edwardsville and IPFW on Wednesday at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.

Softball Falls Twice on Day Two at the Rebel Games

Sunday, March 8 2009

Courtesy of:

Kissimmee, Fla. -- The Youngstown State softball team fell to 1-7 after dropping a pair of games on its second day at the Rebel Games. The Penguins fell to South Dakota, 9-4, and Maine, 12-5, at the Osceola Softball Complex.

Against South Dakota, freshman Haley Thomas went 2-for-3 with a run scored and drove in a run.

Sophomore Kim Klonowski drove in three of the Penguins' runs against the Coyotes.

Against Maine, the Penguins, who committed six errors, trailed 4-0 after two-and-a-half innings before using a five-run third to overtake the Black Bears, 5-4.

Senior Allyse Ledford led off the frame with a walk and after two strikeouts, Thomas singled and Kristina Rendle was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Junior Autumn Grove followed with a bases-clearing double to right-center field bring the Penguins within one, 4-3.

Freshman Jordan Ingalls double to right-center field to plate Grove to knot the game and Klonowski followed with the Penguins' third-straight double to right-center field scored Ingalls to give the Penguins a 5-4 lead.

Maine, though, capitalized on four Penguins errors in the top of the fifth inning en route to a five-run frame and to a 9-5 lead.

The Black Bears added a run in the sixth and two more in the top of the seventh to close out the scoring.

The Penguins face IPFW and Penn on Monday at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.

Softball Gains Split on First Day of Rebel Games

Sunday, March 8 2009

Courtesy of:

Kissimmee, Fla. -- Senior Allyse Ledford went 2-for-3 with a double and a career-high four runs batted in, and the Youngstown State softball team pounded out 11 hits en route to a 7-3 win over Saint Francis (Pa.) on Saturday morning at the Rebel Games. The Penguins also dropped a 7-3 decision to Holy Cross earlier in the day.

With the game tied, 1-1, in the bottom of the third, the Penguins tallied four straight two-out hits to post three runs capped a Ledford single, which drove in two, and took a 4-1 lead.

After the Red Flash cut the deficit to 4-2 with a run in the top of the fourth, Ledford drilled a a two-run double and the bottom half of the frame and the Penguins posted another three-run inning to take a 7-2 lead.

Junior Cheryl Cale tossed a complete game with two strikeouts to pick up the victory and retired eight of the last 10 batters she face.

In the first game, the Penguins pounded out eight hits but left nine runners on base in the loss to Holy Cross.

The Penguins jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after junior Autumn Grove's first home run of the season, a two-run blast to left-center field.

Freshman Haley Thomas led off the game the game with a single up the middle and stole second base prior to Grove's blast.

Holy Cross responded just as fast tying the game at 2-2 after Caitlin Belanger belted a two-run home run to left-center field in the bottom half of the first.

The Penguins threatened to retake the lead in the top of the second but left the bases loaded.

The Crusaders tacked one run in each of the bottom of the second and third frames to take a 4-2 advantage.

In the top of the fifth, freshman Ashley Conger's single to right center scored Jordan Ingalls, who singled and advanced to second on Kim Klonowski's single to left field.

After Conger's hit and a walk by Allyse Ledford loaded the bases, the Penguins left three runners stranded for the second time in the contest.

The Crusaders took advantage of the Penguins inability to get the clutch hit and plated three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 7-3.

The Penguins take on South Dakota and Maine on Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.