Califano, Larivee Lead Penguins to 6-2 Win at Bowling Green

by YSU

Friday, Mar 20, 2015 1:37 pm

Six Youngstown State pitchers combined to hold Bowling Green to seven hits, and the Penguins capitalized on four errors in a 6-2 win over the Falcons on Wednesday afternoon at Steller Field.

Frank Califano went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored, and Alex Larivee homered and had an RBI single for Youngstown State, which improved to 4-8.

Bowling Green scored the game's first run when Greg Basalyga led off the second inning with a double and came in on a wild pitch. The Penguins answered in the next half inning with their first of three unearned runs in the game as Brent Gillespie reached on an error and scored on a Califano ground out.

Larivee hit Bowling Green reliever Wes Rickenberg's first pitch of the game over the left field wall to put YSU up 2-1 in the fourth, and the Penguins led the rest of the game. YSU scored two more unearned runs in the fifth on RBI singles from Larivee and Jonny Miller, and Califano plated Gillespie with an RBI single in the sixth that put the Penguins ahead 5-1.

Bowling Green's best chance to cut a chunk out of YSU's lead came in the seventh inning when it loaded the bases with three straight singles with two outs. Joe King walked in a run, but he got Brian Bien to pop out to preserve a 5-2 lead. The Falcons had just one baserunner in the final two innings, and YSU added an insurance run in the eighth when Califano singled in Josh Fitch.

Both teams used the game to get their respective pitching staffs work in preparation for upcoming conference games this weekend. Josh North started for the Penguins and allowed a run in in two innings, and Wight and Krokos both pitched two scoreless innings. King, Anthony Konders and Austin Lujano threw an inning apiece for YSU. Bowling Green, which dropped to 5-10, used nine pitchers.

Youngstown State's three-game series this weekend with Valpo has been moved from Eastwood Field to Valparaiso. The teams will play one game on Friday at 2 p.m. Eastern and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon Eastern.

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