| Penguins Eliminated From NCAA's By Kent State, 8-0 |
| Sunday, May 21 2006 |
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| Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Kent State (33-23) used a six-run fourth inning keyed by two three-run home runs by Kim Hamilton and Jamie Fitzpatrick to lift the Golden Flashes past Youngstown State (22-27), 8-0, on Saturday afternoon in the elimination game at the NCAA Regional Softball Tournament at Alumni Field. Youngstown State finished the 2006 season with a record of 22-27 while Kent State improves to 33-23. "One thing I look back on and am very proud is that there were things that happened this year that no one can take away from this group of kids," YSU Head Coach Christy Cameron said. "They battled, they were very receptive, they were a very fun group of kids to work with and they're going to have some great memories that they'll never forget." Youngstown State senior Tiffany Patteson went 3-for-3 in her final collegiate game and finished her career as YSU's all-time hits leader with 231. This isn't the way you want to go out but even getting here (to the NCAA Regional Tournament) and being able to play here is unbelievable," Patteson said. "But right now, my heart feels like it's been ripped out because you spend 15 years of your life softball, it's all you know and now it's gone. The Golden Flashes used a double steal in the top of the second to take an early 1-0 lead. Brittany Robinson singled to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Megan Verde's single to left field and advanced Robinson to third. After YSU's Kristen McDonnell threw out pinch-runner Dani Monson trying to steal second, Corey Houk walked and stole second as Robinson stole home. Kent State added its eighth and final run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning. |
| Ritter's No-Hitter Stops Penguins, 4-0 |
| Saturday, May 20 2006 |
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| Ann Arbor, Mich. -- The Youngstown State softball team knew they were confronted with a daunting challenge when pitted against All-American pitcher Jennie Ritter and the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines (41-13) and both lived up to the billing. Ritter, who walked just one batter, fired her fifth career no-hitter with 15 strikeouts to lead the 13th-ranked Wolverines to a 4-0 victory over Youngstown State (22-26), Friday, in the NCAA Regional Softball Tournament at Alumni Field. "It was frustrating for us," YSU Head Coach Christy Cameron said. "We have not seen a pitcher like (Jennie) Ritter all season. She did not throw as hard as we thought but she has more movement on her pitches than anyone we've seen." Youngstown State junior Karlie Burnell allowed just four hits and yielded four runs took the loss for the Penguins. "Karlie pitched really well for us," Cameron said. "This is one of the top team's in the country and we came in here pretty loose and she kept us in the game." "I thought that Youngstown State did a very nice job," said Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins. "They were very composed and poised. They played good softball and I thought Burnell did a good job against us." In the bottom of the second inning, Michigan's Alessandra Giampaolo belted a solo home run, her first of the year, to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Michigan extended its lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third after Tiffany Hass reached and advanced to second on an error by YSU center field Bethany Hafley, moved to third on Rebekah Milian's sacrifice bunt and scored on Becky Marx's sacrifice fly. After two two-out walks, Giampaolo doubled to right-center field to plate pinch-runner Michelle Weatherdon and Samantha Findlay for the game's final two runs. Youngstown State faces Kent State in an elimination game, Saturday, at 2:30 p.m. at Alumni Field. |
| McDonnell Named to Great Lakes All-Region Second-Team |
| Thursday, May 18 2006 |
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| Youngstown -- Youngstown State freshman catcher Kristen McDonnell has been named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Great Lakes All-Region Second-Team, the NFCA announced Wednesday. McDonnell, who was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team, becomes the fourth Youngstown State player in four years to earn a spot in the all-region squad. Lacey Reichert earned second-team honors in 2004, while Amanda Berry and Kelly Murphy picked up second-team laurels in 2003. The Keizer, Ore., native is currently second on the team with a .327 batting average and tied the YSU single-season home run record with 10. During the Horizon League Tournament, McDonnell batted .385 with two doubles to help the Penguins to the 2006 Horizon League Championship and their first berth in the NCAA Regional Tournament. The Penguins face No. 13 Michigan, Friday, May 19, at 7 p.m. at Alumni Field in Ann Arbor, Mich. |
| Penguins Draw Defending National Champion Michigan |
| Sunday, May 14 2006 |
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| Youngstown, Ohio -- The 2006 Horizon League Champion Youngstown State Penguins (22-25) will take on the defending National Champion and overall No. 9-seeded Michigan Wolverines (40-13), Friday, May 19, at Alumni Field in Ann Arbor, Mich. Game times will be announced Monday. Youngstown State, which is making its first appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament, and Michigan are joined by Mid-American Conference Champion Kent State (32-22) and Big 12 member Oklahoma (38-19-1). This will be the first meeting between Youngstown State and Michigan. |
| Burnell, Penguins Hold Off Flames to Reach Championship Final |
| Saturday, May 13 2006 |
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| Canfield, Ohio -- Junior Karlie Burnell (14-8) tossed a complete game with three strikeouts and freshman Kristen McDonnell went 3-for-4 with a double to lead the Youngstown State softball team (21-25) to a 3-2 victory over Illinois-Chicago (26-32) on Friday evening to reach the championship game of the 2006 Horizon League Softball Championship. The Penguins will face either Illinois-Chicago or Cleveland State at noon on Saturday at McCune Park. The Penguins jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on McKenzie Bedra's sacrifice fly to center field. After Becky Hibner walked, McDonnell doubled down the left field line to moved Hibner to third. Jamie Fornal walked to load the bases and Hibner scored on Bedra's fly out. The Flames quickly knotted the game, 1-1, on Nikki Shepard's two-out infield single in the bottom half of the inning. Youngstown State regained the lead, 3-1, with two runs in the top of the second frame. Freshman Allyse Ledford led off the inning with an infield single and moved to second on Lacy Bronson's sacrifice bunt. After Bethany Hafley reached on an error, senior Tiffany Patteson drove in Ledford with a single to the right side and advanced Hafley to third. Hafley scored on a wild pitch while Patteson stole second and advanced to third on the same pitch but was stranded at third. Burnell held the Flames at bay stranding 10 runners, including two runners in the fourth, one in the fifth, and three in the sixth. UIC plated one run in the bottom of the seventh on Liz Jacoby's single to center field, but Burnell induced Shepard to hit into a fielder's choice and Nicole Robinson to line out to second base to end the game. |
| Penguins Power Way Into Second Round With 12-3 Win |
| Thursday, May 11 2006 |
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| Canfield, Ohio -- McKenzie Bedra hit two of Youngstown State's school-record four home runs and the Penguins banged out 15 hits in a 12-3 victory over Detroit in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament on Thursday afternoon. With the win the Penguins (19-25)advance to take on No. 7 Wright State (7-39) tomorrow in the second round. First pitch is tentatively set for 9 a.m. The Penguins jumped on the Titans early with three runs in the first inning capped by Bedra's two-run home run. Tiffany Patteson, who went 3-for-3, led off the game with a double to left field, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Jamie Fornal's single to left field. Fornal, who went 3-for-4 with four runs batted in, scored on Bedra's home run. Detroit answered with a Kristen Martin home run in the bottom half of the first to cut the lead to 3-1, the Penguins sent 10 players to the plate and scored five runs in the top of the second to extend their lead to 8-1. Senior Lacey Hess doubled to right-center field to lead off the frame and scored on a Detroit fielding error. After Kristen McDonnell singled Bedra blasted a three-run home run over the left-center field fence making the score 7-1. Freshman Allyse Ledford followed with her second home run of the year to push the YSU lead to seven, 8-1. Fornal's fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot, in the top of the third inning gave the Penguins an 11-1 advantage. The Penguins added another run in the top of the fifth on Ledford's sacrifice fly to center field. Detroit added to runs in the bottom of the fifth and left two runners on base when the game ended with a score of 12-3. |
| Burnell, McDonnell, Patteson Garner League Honors |
| Thursday, May 11 2006 |
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| Indianapolis, Ind. -- For the fourth time in four years, Youngstown State's Tiffany Patteson was garnered All-Horizon League accolades after being named to the All-Horizon League Second-Team for the second straight season, the league announced on Wednesday evening. Junior Karlie Burnell joined Patteson on the second-team while freshman Kristen McDonnell was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team. Patteson, who was a first-team selection as a freshman and sophomore, leads the Penguins with a .345 batting average, 12 doubles and three triples. This season, she set the YSU career records for hits, doubles, and runs scored. She will also become the first Youngstown State softball player to play in at least 200 career games. Burnell, who went 12-8 overall during the regular season, finished with a 7-2 record with two against Horizon League opponents and a 3.03 earned run average. Burnell picked up a victory against each Horizon League team and ranked fourth in the circuit in league wins. McDonnell, who tied the YSU single-season home run record, ranked tied for second in the Horizon League with 10 home runs and batted .321 with 30 runs batted in. Youngstown State looks for its first ever Horizon League championship and NCAA Tournament appearance when it hosts the 2006 Horizon League Softball Championship, May 11-13, in Canfield, Ohio, at McCune Park. The Penguins face Detroit, May 11, at 11 a.m. |
| Ledford's Late-Inning Home Run Leads Penguins to 4-2 Triumph Over Loyola |
| Monday, May 8 2006 |
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| Chicago, Ill. -- Freshman Allyse Ledford belted a two-run home run, the first of her career, in the top of the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie and lift the Youngstown State softball team (18-25, 10-10 Horizon League) to a 4-2 victory over Loyola (18-39, 10-10 Horizon League) on Sunday morning. Junior Karlie Burnell allowed just five hits and struck out five to pick up 12th win of the season and her seventh victory against Horizon League foes. Sophomore Jamie Fornal led off the top of the sixth inning with a single to center field and moved to second on McKenzie Bedra's sacrifice bunt. Ledford followed with her game-winning round tripper. The Penguins took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on senior Lacey Hess' single to left field which plated Ledford, who reached on a fielder's choice. The Ramblers knotted the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third but the Penguins regained the lead, 2-1, in the top of the fourth when Lacy Bronson tripled home pinch runner Megan Bricker. Loyola again tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Youngstown State looks for its first ever Horizon League championship and NCAA Tournament appearance when it hosts the 2006 Horizon League Softball Championship, May 11-13, in Canfield, Ohio, at McCune Park. |
| McDonnell Ties Single-Season Home Run Mark Against Akron |
| Thursday, May 4 2006 |
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| Akron, Ohio-- Freshman Kristen McDonnell, who went 2-for-3, tied the Youngstown State (17-23)single-season home run record when she blasted her 10th home run of the season in a 4-3 loss to Akron in the second game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, at Lee Jackson Field. McDonnell tied the record set by Liz Holt in 2003. The Penguins dropped the first game, 6-0. With the Penguins trailing, 3-1, in the top of the fifth inning, McDonnell's two-out home run brought the Penguins within one, 3-2, and her double in the top of the seventh scored Tiffany Patteson and tied the game at 3-3. Akron, however, scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to pull out the 4-3 win. Freshman Tasha Hess was the hard-luck loser for YSU tossing 6.2 innings and not allowing an earned run. Patteson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. In the opener, freshman Allyse Ledford collected three of the Penguins' seven hits. YSU concludes the regular season with a three-game series against Loyola beginning, Saturday, May 6, at 2 p.m. |