Willoughby, Strong Pitching Lead Penguins Past Bowling Green, 5-1

by YSU

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 8:01 am

Shane Willoughby's three RBIs and Brent Gillespie's two runs helped the Youngstown State baseball team defeat Bowling Green 5-1 on Tuesday evening at Eastwood Field.

Willoughby drove in three out of the Penguins' five runs, and Gillespie scored twice in YSU's second victory of the season over Bowling Green.

The Penguins started off by scoring two of their five runs in the bottom of the second inning when Josh Fitch and Gillespie crossed the plate. Fitch started the inning with a single to left, while Gillespie walked to advance Fitch to second. Alex Core's sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, and Willoughby doubled down the left-field line to bring home Fitch and Gillespie.

YSU scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Frank Califano tripled to right field, and he scored one batter later on Jason Shirley's double. Shirley then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.

In the bottom of the sixth, Gillespie scored his second run of the game. Gillespie advanced to first by getting hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Willoughby singled to left field for his third RBI of the game, bringing home Gillespie.

Bowling Green's lone run came in the top of the first, and Josh North escaped with minimal damage with one of YSU's three double plays with him on the mound. North walked Kory Brown on four pitches to start the game, and Brian Bien followed with a single to put runners at the corners with nobody out. North got Bowling Green's top hitter, Trey Keegan, to ground into a double play that brought in Brown.

North also got double plays in the third and fourth innings, and the Falcons stranded two runners in the third. North earned his first victory of the season.

Austin Lujano pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, and Ryan Krokos went 1.1 shutout frames. Closer Anthony Konders came on in a non-save situation and did not allow a run in the ninth.

Bowling Green starter Jevon Boyd had allowed one earned run in 11.1 innings coming into the game, and he was charged with four runs in five innings in the los.

YSU will begin a three-game series against Wright State starting Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Eastwood Field.

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