| Patteson Named To Canadian National Team At Pan American Games |
| Tuesday, August 5 2003 |
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| Youngstown, Ohio -- Youngstown State sophomore Tiffany Patteson was named to the Canadian National Softball Team and selected to represent her country at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Canadian National Team begins play against Puerto Rico, August 5, at noon. Patteson, who was first selected as an alternate, received the call to the national team and joined the squad for opening ceremonies on August 1. Patteson, a first-team All-Horizon League selection, led the Penguins with a .325 batting average, including a .379 average against Horizon League foes, and ranked fourth in the nation with 0.17 triples per game. The Guelph, Ontario native also set the YSU single-season and career triples records with nine three-base hits in 2003. The left-handed hitting shortstop collected 10 doubles and cranked three home runs for a slugging percentage of .548. Patteson helped YSU to a school-best record of 36-17-1 and a second-place finish in the Horizon League. |
| Penguin Trio To Play In College All-Star Game |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Youngstown, Ohio -- Senior Amanda Berry and sophomores Kelly Murphy and Tiffany Patteson were selected to play in the College All-Star Game at the National Pro Fastpitch Festival on July 25 at 6 p.m. at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, Head Coach Christy Cameron announced. Berry, a first baseman, was named the 2003 Horizon League Player of the Year, finished second on the squad with a .318 batting average, set the single-season record for runs batted in (39) and tied the single-season hits record with 55. Berry also ripped 14 doubles, four triples and seven home runs for a slugging percentage of .566. Murphy, who was named the 2003 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year, led the League and set the YSU single-season record with 22 victories and 179 strikeouts. The North Olmsted, Ohio, native finished with a league-best 1.47 earned run average and tossed just the fourth no-hitter in Horizon League Tournament history with an 8-0 win over Detroit. It was also the first YSU no-hitter since the 1993 season. Murphy was also selected to the 2003 Horizon League All-Tournament Team. Patteson, a first-team All-Horizon League selection in 2003, led the Penguins with a .325 batting average, including a .379 average against League foes. The left-handed hitting shortstop set the single-season and career triples record with nine and also collected 10 doubles and cranked three home runs for a slugging percentage of .548. Berry, Murphy and Patteson helped guide the Penguins to a school-best 36-17-1 record and a second-place finish in the Horizon League. Former Penguin Zetta Dumkrieger is also participating in the Festival, playing on a college graduates all-star squad. Dumkrieger’s team will play the professional team on Friday, July 25, at 8 p.m. and again on Saturday, July 26, at 2 p.m. |
| Berry, Murphy Named To Great Lakes All-Region Second-Team |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Youngstown, Ohio -- Junior Amanda Berry and freshman Kelly Murphy were named to the 2003 Great Lakes All-Region Second-Team, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced on Wednesday. Berry and Murphy are the first YSU softball players to receive all-region recognition. Berry, a first baseman, was named the 2003 Horizon League Player of the Year, finished second on the squad with a .318 batting average, set the single-season record for runs batted in (39) and tied the single-season hits record with 55. Berry also ripped 14 doubles, four triples and seven home runs for a slugging percentage of .566. Murphy, who was named the 2003 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year, led the League and set the YSU single-season record with 22 victories and 179 strikeouts. The North Olmsted, Ohio, native finished with a league-best 1.47 earned run average and tossed just the fourth no-hitter in Horizon League Tournament history with an 8-0 win over Detroit. It was also the first YSU no-hitter since the 1993 season. Murphy was also selected to the 2003 Horizon League All-Tournament Team. |
| Murphy Named To Horizon League All-Tournament Team |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Cleveland, Ohio -- Youngstown State freshman Kelly Murphy was named to the 2003 Horizon League All-Tournament Team after posting a 2-1 record, a 1.21 ERA and throwing just the fourth no-hitter in tournament history. Murphy, who finished the season with a school-best 22-6 record, tossed the no-no in a five-inning, 8-0 shutout over Detroit in the first round. The North Olmsted, Ohio, native also picked up a 3-2 victory over UIC in the quarterfinals. Murphy, who was named the 2003 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year, also set the school record for most strikeouts in a season with 179. |
| Penguins Eliminated By Cleveland State, 7-1 |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Cleveland, Ohio -- The Youngstown State softball team's remarkable turnaround season came to an end when the Penguins were eliminated from the 2003 Horizon League Softball Tournament after dropping a 7-1 decision to Cleveland State (23-29-1) on Saturday afternoon at Viking Field. The Penguins finish the 2003 campaign with a school-best record of 36-17-1. CSU faces Wright State in the championship game at 2:40 p.m. Youngstown State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Amanda Berry doubled home freshman Tiffany Patteson, who walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. The Vikings quickly tied the contest, 1-1, on Stephanie Taylor's solo home run to lead off the top of the second inning. The Penguins, who left 10 runners on base, threatened to break the tie in the bottom of the third with runners on first and second and no outs, but CSU pitcher Grace Luginbuhl buckled down and staved off the Penguin threat. Cleveland State broke the game open on Michelle Beightol's three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to give the Vikings a 4-1 advantage. CSU added one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to seal the victory. Senior Zetta Dumkrieger and junior Amber Smith each collected two hits for the Penguins. |
| Bultinck Fans 13 In Two-Hit Shutout Of YSU, 3-0 |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Cleveland, Ohio -- Wright State's Kristin Bultinck (13-19) fanned 13 and allowed just two hits as No. 8 Wright State (15-35) upset No. 2 Youngstown State (36-16-1), 3-0, in the winner's bracket final on Friday evening at Viking Field. Youngstown State will play the No. 1 Loyola/No. 6 Cleveland State winner, Saturday, at 9 a.m. while Wright State advances to the championship at Noon. WSU's Stephanie Salas broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run, her first of the season, to lead off the fifth inning and was all the offense the Bultinck and the Raiders needed. Wright State added one more run in both the sixth and seventh innings. Youngstown State threatened on twice, but Bultinck slammed the door each time. In the bottom of first inning, YSU had runners on second and third with one out, but Bultinck struck out Amanda Berry and Liz Holt to end the threat. Freshman Tiffany Patteson doubled to lead off the bottom of the sixth but was left stranded at second. YSU starter Kelly Murphy (22-6) scattered six hits and struck out five to take the loss. |
| Reichert's Web-Gem Preserves Penguins Victory Over UIC, 3-2 |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Cleveland, Ohio -- Junior Lacey Reichert's fully-extended diving catch of a Michelle Miller line drive in the top of the seventh inning preserved victory for the Penguins over Illinois-Chicago, 3-2, in the quarterfinals of the 2003 Horizon League Softball Tournament at Viking Field on Thursday night. Youngstown State (36-15-1) advances to the semifinals and will play No. 8 seed Wright State on Friday at 5 p.m. Trailing, 3-0, in the top of the seventh inning, the Flames (20-36) made a valiant comeback that came up short. Alicia Creese led off frame with an infield single and Nikki Shepard reached on an error to put runners at first and second. Kristin Cumbo singled up the middle to load the bases. Brittany McIntyre's fielder's choice scored Andrea Milner, who pinch-ran for Creese, and Joyce Cathey's single to right field loaded the bases. Cameron Astiazaran ground out plated Trista Korbas, who pinch-ran Cumbo, and put runners on second and third with two outs to set up Reichert's fielding gem. The Penguins got the board with a run in the bottom of the third when Zetta Dumkrieger registered a bases-loaded walk to put the Penguins ahead, 1-0. Freshman Aimee Soller pounded a two-out, two-run double scored Codi Bise and Amber Smith, who singled and reached on an error, respectively, to give the Penguins a three-run advantage. Freshman Kelly Murphy recorded her 22nd win of the season tossing 5.1 innings and allowing just two hits. Senior Steph Hartman tossed 1.2 innings to pick up her eighth save of the year. |
| Murphy's No-Hitter Advances Penguins Past Detroit, 8-0 |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Cleveland, Ohio -- Youngstown State freshman and Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Kelly Murphy tossed her first career no-hitter with six strikeouts to lead the Penguins (35-15-1) to a five-inning 8-0 victory over Detroit (18-21-1) in the first round of the 2003 Horizon League Tournament at Viking Field. YSU plays No. 3 UIC today at 5 p.m. Murphy's no-hitter was just the fourth in the 17th year history of the Horizon League/MCC Tournament, most recently UIC's Samantha Iuli and UW-Green Bay's Debbie Kind tossed no hitters in 1999. It marked YSU's first no-hitter since Kim Givens tossed a no-no in 1993. The Penguins quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings, scoring one in the bottom of the first inning and two in the second. In the first, Char Kudlock singled and advanced to third when Zetta Dumkrieger reach on an error. Dumkrieger stole second base and Kudlock scored when Katrina Klemp's throw went into center field. Junior Lacey Reichert, who went 2-for-3 and scored three runs, doubled to lead off the second and moved to third on Amber Smith's infield single. Freshman Tiffany Patteson, who went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI's, set the YSU career triples record with her ninth three-bagger that scored both Reichert and Smith. The Penguins put the game away with three unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth and two more unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth. |
| YSU Sweeps Horizon League Postseason Awards |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Indianapolis, Ind. -- The Youngstown State softball program's 23-win improvement from a year ago did not go unnoticed as the Penguins swept the 2003 Horizon League postseason awards. YSU Head Coach Christy Cameron was named the 2003 Coach of the Year, while junior Amanda Berry won Player-of-the-Year honors, freshman Kelly Murphy was selected as Pitcher of the Year and freshman Liz Holt was tabbed Newcomer of the Year, the league announced on Wednesday. Cameron, who is in her fourth season at YSU, guided the Penguins to their best season ever with an overall record of 34-15-1. The Penguins, who were picked to finish last in the preseason, placed second in the Horizon League with a 13-5-1 League record, a 12-win improvement from 2002. In 2003, the Penguins set the school record for wins with 34 and established seven other team single-season records. The Penguins have also set new marks in runs scored (208), hits (355), doubles (66), triples (18), home runs (33), runs batted in (188) and consecutive games won (9). Berry, a native of Lorain, Ohio, is the first player in YSU softball history to earn the League's top player honors and ranks in the top 10 in nine Horizon League offensive categories. She leads the League in hits (52), runs batted in (38) and total bases (92). The 2003 YSU Female Athlete of the Year, Berry also ranks second in triples (4) and home runs (7), third in runs scored (30) and slugging percentage (.575), fourth in doubles (11) and eighth in batting average (.325). Her 38 RBIs is also a YSU single-season record. Murphy set the YSU records for most wins in a season (20) and strikeouts in a year (166) and leads the Horizon League in victories and earned run average (1.50). The North Olmsted, Ohio native also leads the League with five shutouts and ranks second with 6.9 strikeouts per game. Murphy, who went 8-2 with a 1.57 ERA against Horizon League opponents, is the first YSU pitcher to record 20 wins in a season and limited her opponents to a .210 batting average. Holt, who hails from Galion, Ohio, set the YSU single-season home run record and became the first YSU player to hit 10 home runs in a season. Holt currently leads the Horizon League in hits (52) and home runs (10) and ranks second in total bases (91) and slugging percentage (.576). YSU also led the way with four players named to the All-Horizon League First-Team. Freshman Tiffany Patteson was named the All-Horizon League First-Team, along with Berry, Holt and Murphy. Patteson, from Guelph, Ontario, set the YSU single-season record, tied the YSU career record and leads the Horizon League with eight triples this season. Her .16 triples per game also ranks fifth in the nation. Patteson, who is hitting .379 against League opponents, is batting .318 overall with eight doubles, eight triples, three home runs and 19 runs batted in. She also lead the League in runs scored (32) and ranks third in hits (50) and walks (22), fourth in total bases (83), sixth in slugging percentage (.529), and eighth in on-base percentage (.400). Holt, Murphy and Patteson were also named to the 2003 Horizon League All-Newcomer Team. No. 2 Youngstown State faces No. 7 Detroit, Thursday, at 9 a.m. in the first round of the 2003 Horizon League Softball Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio. |
| YSU Takes No. 2 Seed Into Horizon League Tourney |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Youngstown, Ohio -- The No. 2-seed Youngstown State softball team (34-15-1, 13-5-1 Horizon League) finished the regular season in second place and will face No. 7-seed Detroit (18-20-1, 4-8-1 Horizon League) in the first round of the 2003 Horizon League Softball Tournament, Thursday, May 8, at 9 a.m. in Cleveland, Ohio. All tournament games will be played at Viking Field on the campus of Cleveland State University. The Tournament Schedule Thursday, May 8 Game One No. 2 Youngstown State vs. No. 7 Detroit 9 a.m. Game Two No. 3 Illinois-Chicago vs. No. 6 Cleveland State 11 a.m. Game Three No. 1 Loyola vs. No. 8 Wright State 1 p.m. Game Four No. 4 UW-Green Bay vs. No. 5 Butler 3 p.m. Game Five Winner Game One vs. Winner Game Two 5 p.m. Game Six Winner Game Three vs. Winner Game Four 7 p.m. Friday, May 9 Game Seven Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game Two 9 a.m. Game Eight Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game Four 11 a.m. Game Nine Loser Game 5 vs. Winner Game Seven 1 p.m. Game 10 Winner Game Eight vs. Loser Game Six 3 p.m. Game 11 Winner Game Five vs. Winner Game Six 5 p.m. Game 12 Winner Game Nine vs. Winner Game 10 7 p.m. Saturday, May 10 Game 13 Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 11 9 a.m. Game 14 Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 13 Noon Game 15 Winner Game 14 vs. Loser Game 14 (if necessary) 2 p.m. |
| Penguins' Quest For Title Falls Short, Finish Second |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Chicago, Ill. -- The Youngstown State softball team's quest for its first league championship fell short after dropping a 4-3 decision to Illinois-Chicago (19-35, 11-7 Horizon League) on Sunday afternoon at Flames Field. The Penguins finish the regular season with a 34-15-1 overall record and placed second in the Horizon League behind Loyola (16-5) at 13-5-1. Loyola swept a three-game series from Detroit to win the championship. The Penguins fell quickly behind 4-0 after allowing a run in the first inning and three in the second, but made a valiant comeback attempt that came up short. The Penguins cut into the Flames' lead, 4-1, with a run in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman Aimee Soller singled and scored on Tiffany Patteson's eighth triple of the season. Patteson, who went 2-for-4, was left stranded at third. Freshman Liz Holt's 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot, scored junior Amanda Berry, who led off the inning with a single, and cut the deficit to 4-3 but the Penguins would not come any closer. Freshman Kelly Murphy scattered nine hits in the loss and falls to 20-5 on the season and 8-2 against Horizon League opponents. The Penguins earn the No. 2 seed in the 2003 Horizon League Softball Tournament and face No. 7 Detroit (18-20-1, 4-8-1 Horizon League) on Thursday, May 8, at 9 a.m. in Cleveland, Ohio. |
| YSU Splits With UIC; Must Win Sunday For Horizon League Crown |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Chicago, Ill -- Junior Amanda Berry belted two triples and drove in five runs to lead the Youngstown State softball team's 14-hit offensive barrage in a 6-1 victory over UIC (18-35, 10-7 Horizon League) in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Flames Field. The Penguins (34-14-1, 13-4-1 Horizon League) dropped game two, 8-7. With the split, the Penguins secured second place and must win the series finale on Sunday to win the Horizon League regular season championship. Berry broke open a scoreless game with a two-out, three-run triple down the right field line to give the Penguins a 3-0 advantage in the top of the fifth inning. UIC cut into the Penguin lead with a run in the bottom half of the frame. YSU, however, added three more in the top of the seventh on Berry's second two-out triple of the game, which plated Char and Zetta Dumkrieger. Freshman Liz Holt drove in YSU's final run with a single to right field. Freshman Kelly Murphy became the first YSU pitcher to record 20 victories and improved her record to a Horizon League-best 20-4. Murphy tossed six innings allowing just six hits and one run while senior Steph Hartman tossed a perfect seventh inning to seal the victory. In the opener, Tiffany Patteson, Kudlock, Dumkrieger and Lacey Reichert each went 2-for-4 for the Penguins. In the nightcap, the Penguins battled back from a 7-3 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the contest, 7-7. With one out and Erin Moore, who walked, on first, junior Amber Smith doubled to put runners on second and third. After a strikeout, Moore scored and Smith advanced to third on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 7-4. Patteson, who went 2-for-4, singled through the right side and plated Smith to trim the UIC advantage to 7-5. Kudlock reached on an error and Dumkrieger's single scored Patteson from second. The Penguins tied the game when Berry reached on an error by the center fielder and scored Kudlock. UIC's Kristin Cumbo's two-out double scored Nicole Shepard, who singled, with the game-winning run in the top of seventh. YSU and UIC square off in the series finale, Sunday, at 2 p.m. (EST) at Flames Field. |
| Penguins' Title Hopes On Line At UIC |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Youngstown, Ohio -- The Youngstown State softball team (33-13-1, 12-3-1 Horizon League) goes for its first Horizon League championship when it concludes its regular season this week in a three-game series against Illinois-Chicago (17-34, 9-6 Horizon League), May 3-4, in Chicago, Ill. To win the regular-season crown, the Penguins need to win two games of the three-game set against the Flames. The Penguins and Flames square off in doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. (EST) and play a single contest on Sunday at 2 p.m. (EST). Last Time Out The Penguins split a pair of games with Ohio with a 1-0 victory and a 3-1 loss on Wednesday. Freshman Kelly Murphy picked up her 19th win of the season tossing a complete-game five-hitter. In the nightcap, senior Zetta Dumkrieger went 3-for-4 with two doubles and Char Kudlock collected two hits in the loss. Penguins Set Streak Record With their game one win over Ohio, the Penguins set the YSU school record for consecutive wins at nine. The streak was snapped by the Bobcats in game two of the twinbill. Murphy Breaks Win Record Youngstown State freshman Kelly Murphy has smashed the YSU single-season record for most victories. The North Olmsted, Ohio, native currently has 19 victories and has the chance to become the first pitcher in YSU history to record 20 victories in one season. The old single-season mark was 14. Holt Owns Home Run Record With a solo home run against Toledo last week, Liz Holt recorded her ninth round-tripper and broke the single-season home run record of eight set by Chris Notareschi in 1998. |
| Penguins Earn Split Split With Bobcats |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Athens, Ohio -- Youngstown State freshman Kelly Murphy tossed a five-hit shutout, her fifth of the season, to lead the Youngstown State softball team (33-13-1) past Ohio (9-29-1), 1-0, on Wednesday afternoon at the Ohio Softball Field. YSU dropped the second game, 3-1. Freshman Liz Holt's RBI-single in the top of the first inning was all the run support Murphy would need as the freshmen hurler recorded her fifth shutout of the season. In the nightcap, senior Zetta Dumkrieger went 3-for-4, including two doubles, and drove in YSU's only run in the top of the seventh inning. Sophomore Char Kudlock also went 2-for-4 with a run scored. YSU starter Steph Hartman tossed a complete game with four strikeouts and allowed just five hits in a losing effort. YSU visits UIC, May 3-4, in a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday. The Penguins and Flames will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. (EST) and a single contest on Sunday at 2 p.m. (EST). |
| Patteson's Solo Blast Lifts Penguins To 1-0 Victory, Sweep Of UWGB |
| Monday, August 4 2003 |
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| Canfield, Ohio -- Freshman Tiffany Patteson's solo home run in the bottom of the first inning was all the offense starter Kelly Murphy and reliever Steph Hartman needed as the Youngstown State softball team (32-12-1, 12-3-1 Horizon League) held on for a 1-0 victory and a series sweep of UW-Green Bay (8-21, 4-8 Horizon League) on Sunday morning at McCune Park. With the win, YSU extended its winning streak to eight games, which ties a school record. Patteson, who went 2-for-2, did not waste any time putting the Penguins ahead drilling the first pitch from UWGB starter Kristin Kosobucki (3-8), who only surrendered three hits, over the right-center field wall for the game's only run. "I let her get ahead of me all day yesterday and her rise ball was really effective," said Patteson. "Today, I wanted to be more aggressive and went after the first pitch, which was a rise ball but it floated a little." YSU Head Coach Christy Cameron said getting out to that early lead was important for her squad. "I think Tiff's home run really took the wind out of their sails," said Cameron. "Kosobucki pitched a great game against us yesterday, and today, but we played great defense today." Murphy, who improved to 18-4, retired the first 14 Phoenix batters before Amber Techlin doubled to left field with two outs in the top of the fourth inning. The Phoenix threatened in the top of the fifth inning with runners on second and third and one out but Murphy pitched out of the jam. Alyssa Rostkowski doubled to lead off the frame and moved to third on Katie Groshek's single to center. Groshek advanced to second on the throw home. Rostkowski was thrown out at home trying to score on Cori Thiermann's fielder's choice for the second out and pinch-runner Katie Wegner was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning and the scoring threat. Murphy, who struck out 10 batters in six innings, was relieved by senior Steph Hartman, who picked up her seventh save with a scoreless seventh inning. "Steph is coming in from the bullpen and really getting the job done," said Cameron. "Everybody has really stepped up for this season. We are making the routine plays and great plays defensively, but we also coming up with timely hits." YSU visits Ohio, Wednesday, April 30, for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. before facing Illinois-Chicago, Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, for a three-game Horizon League series. The Penguins and Flames will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 2 p.m. |