The Penguins fell 1-0 and 8-5 and were eliminated from the tournament
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND — Youngstown State's defense of its Horizon League softball tournament championship didn't go exactly as planned. The Penguins, who expected a hard-fought, close first-round game, got just that Thursday afternoon, losing 1-0 loss to Illinois-Chicago at Viking Field.
YSU then lost to Detroit, 8-5, in a consolation bracket game and was eliminated from the tournament.
The Penguins won two of three games last weekend against top-seeded Loyola, with two of the games going into extra innings.
YSU coach Christy Cameron felt it was great preparation for the tournament and she got just what she expected. If it wasn't for a freak error in the fifth inning the teams might still be playing.
The Flames loaded the bases with out against YSU senior pitcher Karlie Burnell. Sarah Clynes doubled, then Ashlee Ackerman walked and Liz Jacoby reached on a bloop single.
UIC's Brook Frydendall then hit a sharp grounder to YSU third baseman McKenzie Bedra, who forced out Clynes at home. But, as YSU catcher Kristen McDonnell turned to throw to first base to finish the double play, Clynes' slide knocked McDonnell off balance and caused the throw to go wildly into right field. Ackerman came around to score the game's only run.
Only two innings before the Flames loaded the bases with no outs, but Burnell induced Ackerman to pop out, then got Jacoby to hit in an inning-ending double play.
UIC pitcher Clynes (15-16) allowed just two infield hits and struck out eight. She retired 15 straight Penguins at one point and only twice allowed a runner as far as second base.
"We just didn't get it done with our bats today," said Cameron. "We had our opportunities.
"She [Clynes] pitched well, but we've been able to get to her before."
Clynes is also the Flames' lead-off hitter and had two of the six hits off Brunell (11-10), including a double.
Brunell struck out three and issued three walks.
Detroit 8, YSU 5
The Titans built an 8-1 lead in the fifth inning then held off a Penguins' rally to eliminate YSU.
Michelle Baggio had three hits and four RBIs for Detroit (12-30). Sarah Dickey also had three hits, while Krista Switzer had two.
Bronson led YSU with three hits and Becky Hibner had two.
Starting pitcher Danielle Chase lasted only into the third inning, giving up two runs on four hits. Burnell finished the game, allowing six runs on eight hits.
The Titans took a 1-0 lead in the first on Baggio's double, then made it 3-0 in the third on a Baggio single and sacrifice fly by Kelly Short.
YSU got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Bedra doubled home Bronson, who had singled.
But Detroit scored three times in the fourth on a single by Dickey and a two-run double by Baggio.
The Titans scored twice more in the fifth on Switzer's RBI double and a run-scoring single by Jacqueline Nortman.
Megan Bricker's groundout scored Hibner with a YSU run in the bottom of the fifth, then the Penguins struck for three runs in the sixth on a RBI double by Kelli Sheibley, a RBI single by Hibner and Autumn Grove's fielder's choice.
Friday, May 11, 2007
The Penguins fell 1-0 and 8-5 and were eliminated from the tournament
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND — Youngstown State's defense of its Horizon League softball tournament championship didn't go exactly as planned. The Penguins, who expected a hard-fought, close first-round game, got just that Thursday afternoon, losing 1-0 loss to Illinois-Chicago at Viking Field.
YSU then lost to Detroit, 8-5, in a consolation bracket game and was eliminated from the tournament.
The Penguins won two of three games last weekend against top-seeded Loyola, with two of the games going into extra innings.
YSU coach Christy Cameron felt it was great preparation for the tournament and she got just what she expected. If it wasn't for a freak error in the fifth inning the teams might still be playing.
The Flames loaded the bases with out against YSU senior pitcher Karlie Burnell. Sarah Clynes doubled, then Ashlee Ackerman walked and Liz Jacoby reached on a bloop single.
UIC's Brook Frydendall then hit a sharp grounder to YSU third baseman McKenzie Bedra, who forced out Clynes at home. But, as YSU catcher Kristen McDonnell turned to throw to first base to finish the double play, Clynes' slide knocked McDonnell off balance and caused the throw to go wildly into right field. Ackerman came around to score the game's only run.
Only two innings before the Flames loaded the bases with no outs, but Burnell induced Ackerman to pop out, then got Jacoby to hit in an inning-ending double play.
UIC pitcher Clynes (15-16) allowed just two infield hits and struck out eight. She retired 15 straight Penguins at one point and only twice allowed a runner as far as second base.
"We just didn't get it done with our bats today," said Cameron. "We had our opportunities.
"She [Clynes] pitched well, but we've been able to get to her before."
Clynes is also the Flames' lead-off hitter and had two of the six hits off Brunell (11-10), including a double.
Brunell struck out three and issued three walks.
Detroit 8, YSU 5
The Titans built an 8-1 lead in the fifth inning then held off a Penguins' rally to eliminate YSU.
Michelle Baggio had three hits and four RBIs for Detroit (12-30). Sarah Dickey also had three hits, while Krista Switzer had two.
Bronson led YSU with three hits and Becky Hibner had two.
Starting pitcher Danielle Chase lasted only into the third inning, giving up two runs on four hits. Burnell finished the game, allowing six runs on eight hits.
The Titans took a 1-0 lead in the first on Baggio's double, then made it 3-0 in the third on a Baggio single and sacrifice fly by Kelly Short.
YSU got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Bedra doubled home Bronson, who had singled.
But Detroit scored three times in the fourth on a single by Dickey and a two-run double by Baggio.
The Titans scored twice more in the fifth on Switzer's RBI double and a run-scoring single by Jacqueline Nortman.
Megan Bricker's groundout scored Hibner with a YSU run in the bottom of the fifth, then the Penguins struck for three runs in the sixth on a RBI double by Kelli Sheibley, a RBI single by Hibner and Autumn Grove's fielder's choice.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Youngstown State's defense of its Horizon League softball tournament championship didn't go exactly as planned. The...
