By Keon Edington and Marissa Masano / The Jambar
A record-setting Game Two powered the Youngstown State University women’s softball team to a best-of-three series victory over Robert Morris University on April 3-4 at the North Athletic Complex in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Three days later, the Penguins returned home and split a doubleheader against Niagara University. With the results, Youngstown State improved to 20-14 overall and 7-2 in Horizon League play.
In Game One, Youngstown State got out to an early lead as sophomore Bella Meyer started things off with a one-out double to center field, which put the game at 1-0. Robert Morris evened the score with a home run by junior Aglaia Rudd.
The Penguins regained control through the fourth and fifth innings when they extended the score with an RBI from junior Lydia Wilkerson and a sacrifice fly from freshman Tia Turner. Senior Emma Gilkerson added a sacrifice fly that allowed freshman Leila Staszak to score, making it 4-1.
RMU stormed back and tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with three home runs, which forced the game into extra innings. The game remained tied until the 10th inning when the Penguins scored three runs, led by sophomore Ayla Ray with two. Junior Selah Moyer added an RBI single, which started another run and helped the team finish the game 7-4.
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, YSU dropped an 8-6 decision. The Penguins jumped out to a 5-0 lead off senior Kennedy Dean’s home run and an RBI double by Ray. The Colonials made a run to bring them within two at 6-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Robert Morris gained the upper hand and scored a walk-off home run to win the game 8-6.
In Game Two, Youngstown State set two program records with the most RBIs and runs scored in a single game, shutting out Robert Morris 20-0.
The Penguins recorded 19 RBIs, which surpassed the previous program record of 16 set in 2015. The 20 runs scored placed second in program history.
YSU scored 11 unanswered runs in the first inning, as Meyer hit the opening home run and Wilkerson followed by scoring on a wild pitch. Ray and senior Bree Kohler added back-to-back RBIs to make it 4-0.
The lead quickly extended to 7-0 behind Kohler, Ray and Moyer. Turner and Dean added back-to-back doubles and continued to keep the pressure on RMU as the score reached 11-0.
YSU kept the momentum going as the team added three runs in the second inning, led by Meyer, who scored four runs in total. Freshman Naomi Bottomlee added an RBI triple, while Dean contributed a three-run home run.
Sophomore Kelsey Ogin helped bring home the win for YSU as she threw a one-hitter and allowed two runners to reach home base, which ended the game 20-0.
Following the series win against Robert Morris, Youngstown State split a home doubleheader against Niagara University on April 7 at the Covelli Sports Complex. YSU fell in the opener 10-2 but rebounded to take Game Two with a 9-1 win.
The Purple Eagles took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Dean struck a home run, and Turner notched a two-run home run in the third inning as the score became 3-1. The Penguins did not let up as Staszak added a single followed by a two-run double. Wilkerson and Turner drove in runs that made the score 5-1.
Dean and Moyer put on the finishing touches with RBI singles to win the game 9-1.
The team returns to the mound April 14 when it hosts a doubleheader against Mercyhurst University at the Covelli Sports Complex. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.